The Conservatives have held on to a key by-election seat by just five votes in one of two losses for Sir Keir Starmer's Labour.

Judy Couch won the Nuthall East & Strelley seat on Broxtowe Borough Council for the Tories, leaving Kemi Badenoch clinging on with a slashed majority.

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats celebrated a landslide victory in London, with Janet Grauberg retaking West Hampstead on Camden Council.

Councillor Grauberg had retaken the seat for Sir Ed Davey's party, with the party's local chief declaring victory in "Keir Starmer’s backyard."

Judy Couch won the seat in Nottinghamshire with 405 votes, ahead of Reform UK's Neil Isted on 400 votes.

Councillor Couch, a former teacher in the area, will join the nine Conservatives who already sit on the borough council, which is run by the Broxtowe Alliance.

In third place was Graham Lambert from the Broxtowe Alliance on 275 votes, with Labour's Domenica Lopinto in fourth on 244.

At the foot of the table was Rachel Gravett from the Green Party on 70 with independent candidateTyrone Gall on 21.

Judy Couch (second right) said it was a nail biting result

Couch cited her opposition for Broxtowe joining the Nottingham city boundary as one of the reasons she was able to pull ahead of Reform UK.

Reacting to the news, Couch said: "It was rather nail-biting towards the end, but I am so pleased to have won. I think the people of Nuthall have made it clear they don't want to go in with the city boundary.

"A lot of people said it on the doorstep."

It was a successful night for the Liberal Democrats in north west London as Janet Grauberg took the West Hampstead ward on Camden Council.

Grauberg won the by-election as previous councillor Shiva Tiwari resigned from his role following his suspension by the party for threatening to shut down a Costcutter in his Camden patch, after they refused to hand over his UPS parcel.

The Liberal Democrats picked up a 716 majority, winning 1,174 votes ahead of Labour's Francesca Reynolds on 458.,

In third was the Local Conservatives candidate Ian Cohen on 222 votes, with Reform UK's Thomas Sterling on 155 votes, with Matthew Hull from the Greens on 152.

Janet Grauberg won the north west London seat

Reacting to the news, Councillor Grauberg said: "The campaign we ran was about local issues and it resonated with people.

"The things we were talking about were rubbish on the streets, drug-taking in the streets, overdevelopment at the 02 Centre. I think that’s what they voted for."

Liberal Democrat writer and party president Lord Mark Pack wrote on his blog, declaring victory in "Keir Starmer’s backyard."

Party leader Sir Ed Davey wrote on social media: "Congratulations to London Liberal Democrats for an incredible result in West Hampstead last night. Ms Grauberg will make a fantastic local councillor. Bring on the local elections next year!"