Gosport'S Liberal Democrats were celebrating today after making massive gains in the borough's council elections.

They picked up seven seats to become the joint largest party, pushing the Tories into third place.

Despite the result Gosport remains a "hung" council with no one party having overall control.

Labour and the Liberal Democrats have 12 seats each with the Conservatives claiming ten.

Before yesterday's poll the Conservatives were the largest single party with 13, Labour had 12 and the Liberal Democrats just five.

Boundary changes increased the overall number of councillors from 30 to 34.

Jubilant Liberal Democrat group leader Mike Russell said: "It shows that people want a change. They have had two years under the Conservative administration and have had enough."

There was even a message from a delighted national party leader Charles Kennedy who described the result as a "great step forward".

He added: "People know our reputation in local government. We work hard and we deliver quality public services.

"We're open about how we raise money and we're open about how we spend it. Now the people of Gosport have shown that they like what we stand for."

Tory group chief and former council leader Peter Edgar was disappointed with the result.

He said: "It means that Gosport cannot easily progress because there is no clear overall lead given to one particular group. This election needed to throw up one of the three leading groups to take overall control and take Gosport forward."

The atmosphere was occasionally tense as the results were announced in Gosport's Civic Hall.

The campaign had sometimes been strained with parties accusing each other of spreading lies.

The most notable defeat was that of Dennis King, the Tory mayor-elect, who failed to win a seat in Privett ward.

And low whistles were heard when deputy Tory leader Mark Hook scraped into his Anglesey seat by only six votes.

Over the coming days the parties will decide how to share power in the council chamber.

With Mr Edgar no longer council leader, the post is open to either Labour or the Liberal Democrats.

Mr Russell said he would talk to his group before deciding whether to propose a Lib-Dem candidate.

Labour group leader Shaun Cully said: "We haven't shared power in the past and we probably won't in the future.

"We will carry on putting forward our policies. Our allegiances are to the Labour Party."

Early indications showed only around 30 per cent of voters had been to the polling stations.