Tories in Arun retained their grip on power as the leaders of the three main opposition parties were toppled in a night of high drama.

The Conservatives tightened their grip and stood firm but there was chaos all around.

Lib Dem leader John Richards, Labour leader Roger Nash and leading Independent councillor Bill Redman all lost.

Mr Nash, who has been mayor of Bognor two times, lost his seat in Pevensey by just one vote to Tory newcomer Sandra Daniels.

A dejected Mr Nash said: "I am going to step back and take a rest. I think I deserve it."

Bill Redman, leader of the independents, was seen as an elder statesmen of Arun District Council.

A councillor for Arundel for the past 12 years, he said: "You do get used to winning but I accept losing gracefully."

One of the biggest shocks of the night was the defeat of Lib Dem leader John Richards.

He told a packed hall at Arun Leisure Centre in Felpham: "It is a sad day. I have been a councillor for nine years and leader for the last one. That is quite a lot to look back on."

As the Tories' success became clear, leader Norman Dingemans said he was "extremely pleased" with the result.

He said: "Once again we have been given a mandate by the people of Arun."

Labour were declared the winners this morning in both Wick seats giving them a total of 8 councillors while the Tories have 36, Lib Dems 11, while one Independent was elected.

RESULTS
ALDWICK EAST: Elected - Gillian Brown (C) 890, Robin Brown (C) 872. Not elected - William Wolforth (LD) 529, Brian Dodd (LD) 524, Michael Neville (L) 154, Simon Mouatt (L) 125.

ALDWICK WEST: Elected - Frances Coleman (C) 875, Jacqueline Maconachie (C) 789. Not elected - Janet Collier (LD) 289, Gary Smith (LD) 251, Raymond Leigh (L) 203, Leslie Rich (L) 171.

ANGMERING: Elected - Julie Hazlehurst (C) 886, Michael Church (C) 862. Not elected - Oliver Wingrove (C) 733, Margaret Munro (LD) 512.

ARUNDEL: Elected - Donald Ayling (I) 803, Steven Dendle (C) 675. Not elected - William Redman (I) 631, Ivan Olney (LD) 410, Peter Slowe (L) 107.

BARNHAM: Elected - Jean Goad (C) 1,322, Anthony Dixon (C) 1,220, Richard Wilby (C) 1185. Not elected - Ian Menzies (LD) 613, Barbara Roberts (LD) 442, Alfred Roberts (LD) 413.

BEACH: Elected - James Walsh (LD) 647, Richard James (LD) 558. Not elected - David Hodgson (C) 473, Andrew McTaggart (L) 211, Andy Parker (L) 196.

BERSTED: Elected - Simon McDougall (LD) 801, Sylvia Olliver (LD) 780, Martin Lury (LD) 718. Not elected - Eric Pond (C) 375, Patrick Hastings (L) 364, Simon Holland (L) 319, Gail Walker (L) 278.

BROOKFIELD: Elected - Alan Gammon (C) 357, David Dyball (L) 334. Not elected - Mark Thomson (L) 303, Paul Graydon (LD) 238, Nicholas Wiltshire (LD) 233.

EAST PRESTON WITH KINGSTON: Elected - Richard Bower (C) 1,374, John Rankin (C) 1,345, Dennis Wilde (C) 1,308. Not elected - George Schlich (LD) 563.

FELPHAM EAST: Elected - Susan Kelly (C) 712, Simon Weston (C) 602. Not elected - Michael Harvey (Felpham First) 571, Stephen McConnell (L) 172, Sharon Whitlam (L) 166.

FELPHAM WEST: Elected - Alan Stainton (C) 684, Elaine Stainton (C) 612. Not elected - Mary Harvey (Felpham First) 547, Michael Chapman (LD) 274, Michelle White (LD) 155, Melanie Webb (L) 121, Sharon Kingswell (L) 102.

FERRING: Elected - Roger Elkins (C) 1,092, David Hill (C) 1,052. Not elected - Henry Miller (L) 382, Lindsey Green (LD) 341.

FINDON: Elected - Stephen Brookman (C) 564. Not elected - Kay Schlich (LD) 166.

HAM: Elected - Anthony Squires (L) 375, Michael Northeast (L) 350. Not elected - Sarah Britton (C) 213, Anchorette Blackstone (LD) 179, John Wedderburn (LD) 163.

HOTHAM: Elected - Paul Wells (LD) 313, Jeannette Warr (LD) 313. Not elected - Andrew Evans (C) 287, Edwin Gyde (C) 270, Michael Jones (L) 240, Carole Richmond (L) 217.

MARINE: Elected - Kenneth Scutt (LD) 455, Ian Harding (LD) 419. Not elected - Douglas Maconachie (C) 388, George Blampied (C) 355, Pauline Nash (L) 158, Catherine Mouatt (L) 152.

MIDDLETON-ON-SEA: Elected - Barbara Oakley (C) 1,008, Paul Wotherspoon (C) 874. Not elected - Roslyn Kissell (LD) 358, Priscilla Matcham (L) 268, Edward Nattrass (L) 143.

ORCHARD: Elected - Francis Oppler (LD) 417, David Biss (LD) 387. Not elected - Jasper Richmond (L) 261, Alison Sharples (L) 255, Jean Pereira (C) 140, Martin Pereira (C) 136.

PAGHAM AND ROSE GREEN: Elected - Leonard Brown (C) 918, Anita Hall (C) 917, Ashvinkumar Patel (C) 913. Not elected - Sara Allen (LD) 406, Jennifer Gillibrand (LD) 354, Robert Gillibrand (LD) 331, Anne-Marie Norman (L) 283, Michael Phillips (L) 252, Jeremy Tomlinson (L) 236.

PEVENSEY: Elected - Sandra Daniells (C) 330, Jan Cosgrove (L) 324. Not elected - Roger Nash (L) 323, Kenneth Olliver (LD) 311, Vincent McCabe (LD) 299.

RIVER: Elected - Mark Butler (L) 395, Wendy Squires (L) 360. Not elected - David Britton (C) 331, Natasha Lear (LD) 259, John Cockrell (I) 235, Mark Winterford (LD) 184.

RUSTINGTON EAST: Elected - Philippa Bower (C) 855, John Rose (C) 845. Not elected - Irene Richards (LD) 419, Allan Turner (LD) 416.

RUSTINGTON WEST: Elected - Raymond Steward (C) 1,009, Harold Parris (C) 1,005, Graham Tyler (C) 974. Not elected - Val Capon (LD) 726, John Ceriog-Hughes (LD) 649, John Richards (LD) 595, Janet Penn (UKIP) 431, Edward Walsh (L) 222.

WALBERTON: Elected - Norman Dingemans (C) 646. Not elected - George Fletcher (LD) 248.

WICK WITH TODDINGTON: Elected - George O'Neill (L) 373, Alan Butcher (L) 355. Not elected - Lilias Cheyne (I) 127, Derek Hulmes (C) 344, David Jones (LD) 338, Kevin Weller (LD) 304.

YAPTON: Elected - Stephen Haynes (C) 737, John Matthews (C) 752. Not elected - Ronald Probert (LD) 270, William Robinson (LD) 264.

WICK: Elected George O'Neill (L) 373, Alan Butcher (L) 355. Not elected - Derek Hulmes (C) 344, David Jones (LD) 338, Kevin Weller (LD) 304, Lilias Cheyne (I) 127