UKIP has continued its assault on Bolton Council by taking two more seats to prove that they are a force to be reckoned with in the borough.

The party landed a decisive majority in Little Lever and Darcy Lever and also won in Kearsley – ousting Labour candidates in both wards.

UKIP’s success in Little Lever means that in just two years they have monopolised the ward with all three seats – after having no councillors in the borough prior to 2014.

They now have five councillors and have leapfrogged the Liberal Democrats to become Bolton's third party.

Cllr Rees Gibbon saw off David Evans to join Cllr Sean Hornby and Cllr Paul Richardson as ward councillors in Little Lever and Darcy Lever.

In Kearsley, Cllr Mark Cunningham defeated Carol Burrows to take his place as a UKIP representative on Bolton Council.

The party also came close to gaining a shock third seat of the night in Breightmet, where Labour clung on by 100 votes, following a recount.

The results caused UKIP leader, Cllr Sean Hornby to state: “This is just the beginning for UKIP in Bolton.

“We always predicted that we would take these two seats, the people have lost trust in Labour and we have listened to them.

“In Little Lever and Darcy Lever, Labour tried to give people something in the new library – but the people saw through it and it backfired.

“Our work starts now and we now look at building on this, Kearsley is the next ward we will take – we will be a good, strong opposition and will hold this Labour council to account.

“I am sure there will be a few more surprises in two years time.”

Labour will be disappointed with the two results in the Bolton South area and were also defeated by the Conservatives in Westhoughton North and Chew Moor – where Anne Graham lost her seat to Christine Wild in what is traditionally a swing result.

But the party will be very pleased to have registered a surprise win in Hulton, where first-time candidate Darren Whitehead beat off close competition from the Tories to replace late Conservative Cllr Alan Walsh and offer some cheer on a difficult night for the controlling group.

Elsewhere, Liberal Democrat leader Roger Hayes comfortably hung on to his Smithills seat with an increased majority – despite suggestions from some quarters that he may have struggled.

Council leader Cliff Morris, who was also comfortably re-elected in his Halliwell seat remained bullish despite the losses, stating that the overall power his party still has on the council shows that "the people of Bolton have chosen Labour again."

The final make-up of Bolton Council after this year’s elections sees Labour down two with 37 councillors, the Tories remain on 15, UKIP are up by two councillors to 5 and the Liberal Democrats remain on 3.