The Alliance Party was the big winner in the Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council election as the party gained four seats to finish with 13 and become the second-biggest party on the local authority.

The DUP gained one seat and remains the largest party with 14, while the Ulster Unionists lost five seats to finish in third place with six.

Sinn Féin also had a successful election, gaining two seats including its first ever in Lisburn city to finish with four, while the SDLP came back with two seats - the same number it won four years ago.

Independent Gary Hynds won a seat for the first time, while the Green Party lost its only seat.

The DUP's Ruth Brooks (below, right) is celebrating after being elected to the Titanic ward in Belfast with 1,690 first preference votes.

Image source, PA Media

The figure is significant for unionists, some of whom celebrate the Protestant King William III's victory over the Catholic King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.

The Orange Order marks this victory on 12 July each year.

Ms Brooks is married to the DUP's Belfast East Stormont assembly member David Brooks.

It was a successful election in Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council for Sinn Féin, which gained five seats while the SDLP lost five.

It means Sinn Féin is now the biggest party on the council, while the DUP dropped into second place despite winning two more seats than in the previous election in 2019.

The Ulster Unionists also had a disappointing day, losing four seats, while the Alliance Party and the TUV each gained one.

Independent Paul Berry held his seat.

Alliance Party deputy leader Stephen Farry says the results in the council elections "marginally increase" the chances of the return of the Stormont executive and the assembly.

"There should not be a boycott of the assembly - we should be back in," he tells BBC News NI.

Image source, Pacemaker

"Northern Ireland is a broken society at present, without an assembly to fix the problems that are out there.

"We desperately need that assembly back and I think the DUP need to reflect on these election results and take the view they need to go back in."

Independent councillor Gary Hynds says "five years of hard work" was behind his success in the Lisburn North ward of Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council.

He took the seat of Mayor Scott Carson in one of yesterday's eye-catching results.

Image source, @GaryHynds

He previously stood for election for the Northern Ireland Conservatives but dropped the Tory tag to secure his first success at the ballot box.

"I will certainly not be going back [to the Conservatives]," he tells BBC News NI.

"I am very happy to be an independent in terms of what I can achieve."

Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O'Neill says her party is on course for a "momentous result" that reflects a "positive campaign" by its candidates and activists.

The party is on track to become the largest party in Northern Ireland local government as counting continues in the council elections.

Speaking at the Foyle Arena, where votes are being counted for Derry City and Strabane District Council, she says: "We have work to do but it's been a very positive result for the party so far.

"We need to double down in terms of getting an executive restored and then get our councils actively up and running again," she tells BBC News NI.

Rick Faragher
BBC News NI

Although the Ulster Unionists' results elsewhere have been underwhelming, it has just won its seventh seat on Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.

Jackson Minford took it, meaning the party's tally here matches its showing in the 2019 election - and that might even increase with six seats still up for grabs.

Chelsea Harwood has won a sixth seat for the Alliance Party, which has also performed well.

The DUP is still the biggest party with 12 seats overall so far.

But it's more bad news for the SDLP, which will lose its sole seat on this council.

The DUP's Alan Graham, the County Down farmer who had a famous run-in with Rihanna, has been elected to Ards and North Down Borough Council.

He was elected in the Holywood and Clandeboye ward after gaining 1,112 first-preference votes.

Image source, Reuters

You may remember that Mr Graham was at the centre of a worldwide media storm in 2011 after he called for filming of the Barbadian's video on his land to stop.

He asked Rihanna to "cover up" when he saw her in his grain field and thought her appearance in a bikini and an open shirt was inappropriate.

Sara Neill
BBC News NI

It's all starting to happen at the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council election count.

Four councillors were deemed elected on the first count in the Macedon ward - Taylor McGrann of Sinn Féin, Matthew Brady of the DUP, the Alliance Party's Billy Webb and Ulster Unionist Robert Foster.

Now we've got the first count in the Airport ward and it's another two seats filled.

Anne Marie Logue of Sinn Féin retains her seat, as does the DUP's Matthew Magill.

Sinn Féin wanted to double the five seats it won in 2019 and so far it has eight councillors over the line with two more awaiting their results, so the party could get its election wish.

The DUP is sitting on nine seats - it had 14 at the last election and six of the party's candidates are waiting to hear how they’ve done.

Nuala McCann
BBC News NI

Surprises, shocks and A-levels - with the results of the council elections coming in across Northern Ireland there's been no shortage of storylines.

Beyond the success of Sinn Féin - which is on track to become the largest party in local government - there have been individual success stories and disappointments.

Image source, PA Media

The parties are not quite licking their wounds yet, with counting not expected to finish until much later today.

BBC News NI has taken a look at six of the more interesting talking points that have emerged from the election results so far.

Read more: Six things to know about the NI elections so far

Maria McCann
BBC News NI

Some of the Coleraine candidates have left the count centre for brunch because counting hasn't yet begun for their ward in the Causeway Coast and Glen Borough Council.

Turnout for Coleraine in general was low at 44% but in areas like Ballysally even fewer people voted.

The PUP’s Russell Watton tells me the estate reportedly had a 32% turnout.

He topped the poll in Coleraine last time but can he hold on to the party’s only remaining council seat?

DUP MLA Edwin Poots says the council election results could be described as a "wake-up-and-smell-the-coffee moment" for unionism in Northern Ireland.

The split in unionist voting is not sustainable, he adds.

Image source, PA Media

"The DUP vote is holding up very well right across Northern Ireland - we’ve gained some seats and we’ve lost a small number but all in all it’s been a decent result," he says.

But he points out that nationalism is "coalescing around Sinn Féin" while unionism is "being divided across three parties".

"I think that's not a sustainable model for the way forward and it's for unionists to actually look at that and realise that it is not the best way forward."

Sara Girvin
BBC News NI

The count is at the halfway point for Belfast City Council - Northern Ireland’s biggest council - with 30 of 60 councillors elected.

Counting for the Botanic, Colin, Oldpark, Ormiston and Titanic wards began at about 09:00, with results expected early this afternoon.

Turnout here was 52.6% - that’s up 1.7% on 2019.

Image source, PA Media

There's growing speculation at Belfast City Hall that the Green Party could be left with just one seat on the council by the end of the day.

The party leader Mal O’Hara lost his seat in the Castle ward yesterday.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood rejects the suggestion that his party's council election results have been a disaster.

"I have been saying this is coming for the last few weeks," he tells BBC News NI.

Image source, PA Media

"This is a reassertion of the assembly election last year - a very difficult context for us.

"I have no interest in titles or positions but if I thought the right course of action was to step down [as leader] I would do it in a heartbeat.

"The reality is though I don't think there is a better option and I think we have to continue on and build for the future."

Sinn Féin MP John Finucane says the Northern Ireland Assembly "can be back up and running" within the next year.

The results in the council election endorse the outcome of the Stormont election a year ago, he adds.

Image source, PA Media

"People have voted overwhelmingly for parties who want to work together to actually deliver for people who need it now," he tells BBC News NI.

With well over half of council seats filled, Sinn Féin has won the most so far.

Dean McLaughlin
BBC News NI

Former Stormont minister Mervyn Storey has been elected to Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council for the DUP.

He topped the poll in the Ballymoney ward and there have been hugs and words of congratulations for him.

Image source, Pacemaker

He tells BBC News NI: "We have to realise we are not living in the '70s here.

"Unionism matters in Northern Ireland - we need to move for people who voted for us.

"The current situation we are in is not good for Northern Ireland - the British government needs to get off their hands and secretary of state needs to do more."

Hard-working electoral staff were counting right through the night to get the results for Newry, Mourne and Down District Council.

They eventually took a brief break at 07:00 this morning after four wards were completed - Crotlieve, Downpatrick, Slieve Gullion and the Mournes.

So far 25 councillors have been elected:

• 13 - Sinn Féin
• 2 - DUP
• 5 - SDLP
• 2 - Alliance Party
• 1 - UUP
• 2 - independent

Counting at Newry Leisure Centre has resumed for the three remaining wards - Newry, Rowallane and Slieve Croob - with 16 seats to fill.

Elaine McGee
BBC News NI

Sinn Féin members are in upbeat form at the Foyle Arena as Derry and Strabane Mayor Sandra Duffy (below) tops the poll in her Ballyarnett ward.

She tells BBC News NI that she believes the voting trend in this council area reflects a bigger picture across Northern Ireland.

In 2019 Sinn Féin had a significant dip in its vote share in the Derry City and Strabane District Council election, leading to a loss of five seats.

But after 10 candidates took 10 seats across four wards in this council yesterday, the party has secured three more this morning.

Sinn Féin sources are optimistic of all 18 of its candidates winning seats, which would make it the biggest party on the council.

Elsewhere, in the Moor ward covering the Brandywell, City Walls and Creggan areas of Derry city, independent republican candidate Gary Donnelly has topped the poll again as he did in 2019.

Former Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt says a "fundamental realignment of unionism" is required after this election, with his party having some disappointing results so far.

He tells BBC News NI that the "broad church that we used to celebrate in Ulster Unionism is no longer effective".

Image source, PA Media

His comments come as former Ulster Unionist election candidate Michael Palmer resigns from the party after 10 years as a member.

Palmer, the former vice-president of the Ulster Young Unionists, tells BBC News NI that the party has "declined for six elections in a row".

"If it were Dragon's Den and you continued to invest in something that's going nowhere, you would be told to stop doing it," he says.

"The party has messed up on its message."

Sara Neill
BBC News NI

History has been made at the count for Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council.

Eighteen-year-old Lewis Boyle has won a seat for the Alliance Party, becoming the youngest political representative ever to be elected in Northern Ireland.

Image source, PA Media

Results were declared for four council wards yesterday, leaving three for counting staff to deal with today - 17 seats are still up for grabs.

All eyes will be on the DUP - it has won seven seats, including the re-election of Alison Bennington who was the party's first openly gay candidate back in 2019.

Sinn Féin has gained three seats in the wards that have been counted thus far - it has six councillors, one more than its 2019 total.