A BITTER war of words has tarnished Romsey Lib Dems narrow victory in last week's Abbey ward bye-election.

Sally Lamb won the seat for the Lib Demsby a margin of 19 votes but election literature produced by the party has upset a life-long Labour supporter who claimed it was misleading.

Councillor Lamb's agent, Tony Barron, published A4 leaflets with the masthead 'Labour News Romsey Abbey Ward' and the banner headline "Labour paper says vote Lib Dem in Romsey" and the news-sheet made it clear Labour was not fielding a candidate in last Thursday's election.

This has infuriated Jean Denham, who said: "No doubt it was designed to give the impression that the local Labour Party was advising people to vote Liberal Democrat. This was not a Labour leaflet, nor did the Labour Party advise people to cast their vote for Sally Lamb. This was a Liberal Democrat publication. I know the facts, having been an officer of the Labour Party since I came to live in Abbey Ward more than a dozen years ago."

She said the Lib Dems should be "ashamed of themselves for stooping to such dirty tricks."

"They can be assured that I will be take this matter further," concluded the ex-Labour officer. Romsey Conservatives acknowledged the Lib Dems went to "extraordinary lengths to attract Labour votes" by producing the party's own version of 'Labour News'.

In response to the criticisms and defending his actions, Mr Barron said: "The leaflet was designed to attract voting from Labour supporters. A perfectly legitimate act and one which was used throughout the country by all political parties. It did not seek to pretend to be from the Labour Party, their literature is headed 'Red Rose' or similar. They have no record of using the banner 'Labour News' which I used to mean "News for Labour.

"The document contained only quotes from Sandra Gidley, Paul Anderson, various national newspapers, Sally Lamb and one local Labour activist copied from The Romsey Advertiser. The document contained no reference to the local Labour party at all. It actually attacked Labour on the front page and it also pointed out that there was no Labour candidate in the election."

He added: "I find it strange that a Labour Party who disenfranchised its supporters by not putting up a candidate is now complaining about me encouraging supporters to vote. I expected complaints from the Tories - they are bad losers."

Lib Dem candidate Sally Lamb polled 861 votes and Conservative John Ray 842 in the closely fought battle. People always knew it was going to be a close finish because both candidates are very popular in the town but in the end and after four recounts it was a photo finish. The returning officer finally announced the newly-elected councillor's name at about 10.40pm. The bye-election was called following the death of Independent councillor Jack Kemish, who took the seat from the Lib Dems Roger Brambley in May 1999.

Speaking after becoming the Abbey Ward's new councillor, Sally said: " I am very proud that the people of Abbey Ward have chosen me to represent them. I am really looking forward to the new challenges and want to represent them. I'm really looking forward to the new challenges and want to represent everyone no matter what their political beliefs. If they have a problem I shall try my best to help.

Romsey's MP Sandra Gidley said Sally's election was a good result.

"The Tories threw everything but the kitchen sink at the seat but my team were magnificent. The result is not a good omen for the Tory hopes of regaining my seat at the next general election. If they want to win the seat back then they really should be holding on to their council seats not losing them," said Mrs Gidley.

Romsey Conservatives chairman, John Lewis said: "John Ray was an excellent candidate who fought a positive and honest campaign. The Liberal Democrats threw everything at his seat, including importing national chief executive and campaigning supremo Lord Rennard to Romsey - for what was a local council bye-election. They clearly took the view that the

MP's neck was on the line. By scraping home by just 19 votes in the centre of Romsey, a ward which has not had two Conservative councillors since the early 1980s, the Lib Dems have proved that it really is neck- and-neck in Romsey."