The Liberal Democrats took control of Bristol City Council last night as Labour sensationally quit at a crucial budget meeting.

The issue that brought the ruling party down was the possibility of an incinerator being built, probably at Avonmouth.

Liberal Democrat leader Barbara Janke accepted the reins of power.

She was voted back into office for a third time after a tense, six-and-a- half-hour meeting in which Helen Holland and her cabinet stood down. The change will have ramifications on a range of issues.

The change of leader means a range of critical issues over which her party was expected to make decisions are now left up in the air.