Votes decided by straws and cards

THE Tories were denied a historic majority on Northumberland County Council after the result of the last seat was decided by the drawing of straws.

The party was on the brink of gaining control of the council, which has been dominated by Labour for most years since the early 1980s.

After successive recounts in the South Blyth ward, Tory candidate Daniel Carr and Lib Dem Lesley Rickerby each had 356 votes, so a straw was cut in two to decide the outcome.

Miss Rickerby drew the long part, denying the Tories a 34th seat on the 67-seat council, which oversees a former mining area.

She said: ‘It’s unbelievable that… we end up having to draw straws.’

The Lib Dems enjoyed a second unusual victory yesterday when a similar tie led to a decision by cutting a deck of playing cards.

After two recounts for the Church Ward seat in Lancashire, the party’s Gordon Stone and Labour and Co-operative candidate Richard Silvester each had 384 votes.

Mr Stone pulled out the queen of spades to trump Mr Silvester’s jack of clubs.