Mark Jewell is winning for Preston

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 5th Jun 2009

Mark Jewell and the Preston Liberal Democrats are celebrating making a huge breakthrough to win the Preston North West County Council seat today.

Within the Preston Parliamentary seat Labour now hold 5 County Council seats with the Liberal Democrats holding 2 and the Conservatives none.

LibDem Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Mark Jewell said, " It is clear from these latest results that the Conservatives cannot win in Preston. It is the Liberal Democrats who are challenging Labour and winning here."

The Result was:

Mark Jewell (Liberal Democrats) 1,380 (45%)

Labour 996 (32%)

Conservatives 714 (23%)

The Liberal Democrats also gained 5 of the 6 Burnley seats from Labour and St Annes North from the Conservatives.

The Liberal Democrats are now significant players in Lancashire having more than doubled their numbers at County Hall from 4 to 10.

These results are a major boost to the Liberal Democrats in the North West.