Farnworth by-election: Newly formed party wins first seat

The Farnworth seat was previously held by Labour

A fledgling independent political party has won its first ever council seat in a "shock" victory in Greater Manchester.

Paul Sanders, of the Farnworth and Kearsley First Party, was elected as councillor for Farnworth following a Bolton Council by-election.

He beat Labour's Rebecca Minors by 235 votes.

Councillor Sanders told the Bolton News he was "shocked" to win in what was formerly a Labour safe seat.

The party's manifesto says it wants to ensure Farnworth and Kearsley receives a "fair share" of Bolton Council's spending.

It also wants to "challenge the neglect of roads", get library internet fees abolished for the unemployed and attract more investment into the town.

Mr Sanders received 1,204 votes while Rebecca Minors received 969.

The Conservatives, Greens, Liberal Democrats and UKIP also stood in the by-election.

UKIP's David Harvey received 169 votes, Tory candidate Matthew Littler won 153, David Walsh of the Liberal Democrats had 23 and the Green Party's David Figgins received 18.

The turnout was 24.32%.

Bolton West and Atherton MP Chris Green tweeted it was an "amazing" result.