Labour have been unseated in Horfield by the Lib Dems – and a candidate who has only been in the running for a matter of weeks.

Labour’s Rosalie Walker, a former cabinet councillor, was replaced by Cheryl Ann, who took over from the previous Lib Dem candidate, Tony Lewis, after he died in a car crash in March.

Miss Ann took the seat after polling 1603 votes, ahead of the Conservative candidate Rowland Webb’s 1151 votes and Mrs Walker’s 647.

Turnout for the ward was higher than many expected, at 42 per cent.

Miss Ann, 44, of Tilling Road in the Manor Farm area of Bristol, had been closely involved with Mr Lewis’s campaign and agreed to become the Horfield candidate early last month.

Miss Ann, who is not in paid employment, said: “My initial thanks must go to Tony, this result is in his memory.

“I had a great teacher. I am very pleased to have won and I will work ceaselessly to serve people in Horfield.”

Miss Ann has lived in Horfield for 23 years and has four sons aged between seven and 23.

She has been involved with the Manor Farm Action Group, which was set up to enhance the community spirit in the area, as many residents felt it was a “forgotten community”.

Also present at the count, at St Teresa Primary School in Luckington Road, was the BNP’S Christine Ogden, who took 135 votes, but Judith English for the Green Party was not there to hear that she had won 284.

Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Bristol North West, Sam Townend, was there to support Mrs Walker, along with her husband Terry, former Labour MP for Kingswood and chair of the Avon Fire Authority.

Until Labour resigned power in the council in February, 70-year-old Mrs Walker had been member for culture and healthy communities for nearly two years.

Mrs Walker’s political career started on Avon County Council in 1981, and she has been councillor in Horfield for a total of ten years.

She said: “I will still keep going in politics. I ca re about what happens to people and their standards of living – especially for older people. I shall care until I die about what happens here.

“The result was a little worse than I expected – you always hope that you will win. But national events have been very disappointing and it has made a difference I am sure. People on the doorstep have told me so.”

Mr Webb paid tribute to Mrs Walker after the results were announced. He said: “Rosalie is a fine, fine councillor who has done excellent work here in Horfield.”