It was a night of ups and downs for the two main parties in the Lewes district but the overall political landscape remained unchanged.

With ward boundary changes slashing the number of seats available and almost half the sitting candidates stepping down, predictions had proved almost impossible.

The Conservatives had high hopes of making inroads into the Liberal Democrat majority but the usually true blue town of Seaford deserted them, falling dramatically to the Lib Dems in one fell swoop.

They increased their majority over the Tories by seven seats. Once again, Labour came nowhere.

Peacehaven was the only area where the Conservative party performed strongly, taking all six seats - four from the Lib Dems.

But the big story in Peacehaven was the turnout - easily the lowest in the district, averaging about 25 per cent.

In East Saltdean and Telscombe Cliffs, the recent controversy over asylum seekers failed to damage the Lib Dem vote as some expected.

The party reinforced its vote there - with sitting councillors joined by newcomer Marina Pepper, the only witch standing in the county.

In Lewes itself the Lib Dems remained supreme, taking all seats bar one.

Lewes Lib Dem MP Norman Baker said: "It's particularly difficult when you've been in power for 12 years but we've retained control, and done so with an increased majority."

RESULTS (* denotes sitting councillor)

BARCOMBE AND HAMSEY: Elected - David Mitchell (LD) 343. Not elected - Anneka Lundin (C) 329, Samuel Sherwood (G) 60.

CHAILEY AND WIVELSFIELD: Elected - Norman Turner (C) 774, Sharon Davy (C) 754. Not elected - David Bullar (LD) 507, Stephanie Littlewood (LD) 480, Michael Venables (G) 142.

DITCHLING AND WESTMESTON: Elected - Angela Craven (C)* 428. Not elected - Lucinda Broadbent Smith (LD) 342.

EAST SALTDEAN AND TELSCOMBE CLIFFS: Elected - David Neighbour (LD)* 774, Elizabeth Lee (LD)* 723, Marina Pepper (LD) 671. Not elected - Ronald Maskell (C) 635, Christopher Laycock (C) 621, John Morris (C) 614, Duncan Ward (I) 329, Peter Anscomb (L) 297.

KINGSTON: Elected - Neil Commin (LD) 547. Not elected - Christopher Day (C) 235.

LEWES BRIDGE: Elected - Katharine Clark (LD)* 585, James Daly (LD) 583. Not elected - Nicholas Hurd (C) 239, Michael MortonGeorge (C) 212, Lorraine Serrecchia (G) 196, Patricia Broome Reed (G) 192, Elisabeth Howard (L) 160, Patricia Ashcroft (L) 159.

LEWES CASTLE: Elected - Michael Chartier (LD)* 661, Roderick Crocker (LD)* 521. Not elected - Simon Anderson (G) 405, eith Rapley (G) 346, Andrew Winter (C) 271, Matthew Britnell (I) 223, John Stockdale (L) 210, Andrew Holyer (L) 179.

LEWES PRIORY: Elected - Ann De Vecchi Hopper (LD)* 1166, John Webber (LD) 989, Christina O'Keeffe (I) 952. Not elected - Carol Borowski (LD) 896, Graham Mayhew (C)* 633, David Tufnell (C) 536, Clive Shorthouse (C) 434, Stephen Watts (L) 377, Johnny Denis (G) 320, Jon Tan (G) 261, Anne Sawyer (L) 250, Trevor Hopper (L) 241.

NEWHAVEN DENTON AND MEECHING: Elected - David Rogers (LD)* 1089, Josephine Lewry (LD)* 1063, David Fitton (LD)* 1013. Not elected - Anthony Bradbury (C)* 664, Charles Scanlan (C) 565, Michael Spence (C) 502, Martin Crees (G) 206, Eric Lambert (L) 197.

NEWHAVEN VALLEY: Elected - Judith Ost (LD)* 516, Julie Carr (LD)* 497. Not elected - David Howes (C) 301, Candida Terry (C) 290, William Spicer (L) 112, Richard Black (L& Coop) 100, Luisa Serrecchia (G) 65.

NEWICK: Elected - Shirley James (C)* 574. Not elected - Thomas Walters (LD) 220, Andrew Thomas (L) 50.

OUSE VALLEY AND RINGMER: Elected - John Fletcher (I) 1123, Ian Wilson (C) 877, Andrew Small (LD) 766. Not elected - Amanda Wilkins (LD) 678, David Stechler (LD)* 647, Dean Lundin (C) 491, Kelly Morgan (L) 456, Andrew Sherwood (G) 241.

PEACEHAVEN EAST: Elected - Susan Bratchie (C)* 463, Jacqueline HarrisonHicks (C)* 457. Not elected - Howard Rosen (L) 324, Helen Attree (L) 316, Jacqueline Taylor (LD) 162, Roy Taylor (LD) 139.

PEACEHAVEN NORTH: Elected - John Best (C) 405. Not elected - Robert Worthington (C) 390, Susan Griffiths (LD)* 234, Linda Beckmann (LD) 227, Barbara Powell (L) 142, Jean Couture (L) 140.

PEACEHAVEN WEST: Elected - Helen Livings (C) 519, Lynda Hallett (C) 509. Not elected - John Carden (L) 242, Douglas Lawrence (L) 229, Sally Parsons (LD) 196, Julian Pomphrey (LD) 170.

PLUMPTON, STREAT, EAST CHILTON AND ST JOHN (WITHOUT): Elected - Sarah Osborne (LD) 477. Not elected - Lawrence Large (C) 338.

SEAFORD CENTRAL: Elected - Patricia Bennett (LD) 778, Ralph Taylor (LD) 729. Not elected - Arthur James (C)* 483, Gillian Cowdrey (C)* 479.

SEAFORD EAST: Elected - Robin Fricker (LD) 886, Gerald Munro (LD) 867. Not elected - Pauline Gower (C) 735, Ian Nicholson (C) 699.

SEAFORD SOUTH: Elected - Kevin Mayers (LD) 748, Robert Brown (LD) 742. Not elected - Robert Gower (C) 551, Julian Peterson (C)* 526.

SEAFORD NORTH: Elected - Edward Collict (LD)* 867, Tracy Willis (LD) 839. Not elected - Paul Franklin (C) 565, Roger Frost (C)* 473.

SEAFORD WEST: Elected - Kenneth Davies (LD) 933, Peter Harper (LD) 867. Not elected - Jane Hearn (C)* 667, Jean Whittle (C)* 653.