The ruling parties on three Sussex councils have tumbled from power in a night of mixed fortunes and big-name casualties at the polls.

Labour lost control of Brighton and Hove, the Tories lost their grip on Horsham and the Lib Dems no longer have a majority in Worthing.

The Green Party had a resoundingly successful night in Brighton and Hove, doubling its showing from three seats to six.

But the Conservatives failed to win over voters in Eastbourne, who kept faith with the Lib Dems despite facing one of the highest council tax rises in the country.

Worthing's Tories gained one seat from the ruling Lib Dems to give the borough a hung council. The resort also elected its first Muslim councillor, Conservative Jack Saheid.

The balance of power remained unclear in Brighton and Hove this morning. Labour is likely to form a minority administration - it has 24 seats, the Tories 20, the Lib Dems three, Greens six and independents one.

Council leader Ken Bodfish said: "This is not the result we wanted but it is also not the result some other people wanted. It is clear that Labour is still the largest party in this city."

The Tories held Adur and their traditional strongholds in Chichester, Wealden and Arun.

But in a shock result in Horsham a strong Lib Dem challenge toppled the blues. Council chairman John Wardropper Charles lost his seat on what is now a hung council.

Other well-known politicians left without a seat include former Brighton and Hove mayor Jenny Barnard-Langston (Lib Dem), the city's long-time education councillor Frieda Warman-Brown and Chichester's Tory council leader Jane Chevis.