LABOUR and Liberal Democrat candidates took six seats each as Melksham was left with a hung town council after election night.

One of the biggest shocks came when serving Labour town councillor Alan Weymouth failed to retake his seat in Melksham North ward.

Former mayor Vic Oakman, who scooped the second highest number of votes in the same ward, said the result was a complete surprise.

He said: "He was a very hard working councillor who got involved with a lot of projects including Melksham Hospital.

"The hung council situation is not going to cause a lot of problems as we are pretty evenly matched."

In Melksham Spa ward Tory candidate Richard Wiltshire was the winner with 549 votes 64 votes ahead of his nearest rival.

Melksham Woodrow ward was uncontested with husband and wife team Adrienne and Nick Westbrook joined by former deputy mayor Margaret White as the only three candidates.

Independent candidates Sheila Wilkinson and Christopher Petty took the two remaining seats.

The turnout was 24 per cent in Melksham North turning out compared to 25 per cent in Melksham Spa.

Chartered accountant Christopher Holmes was the only candidate to miss out on a seat on Melksham Without Parish Council.

Only 26 per cent of voters turned out in the parish council's Bowerhill and Beanacre ward.

The Shaw and Whitley ward was uncontested with Terry Chivers and Gregory Coombes the only candidates.