WEST Somerset has gone 'blue' in the Somerset County Council elections, with the Conservatives retaining three seats and gaining one from the Liberal Democrats.

Christine Lawrence kept her county council seat in Dunster, as did her Conservative colleague Anthony Trollope-Bellew in Watchet and Quantocks.

Conservative Brenda Maitland-Walker took the Minehead seat from Liberal Democrat Ian Galloway, while Conservative Frances Nicholson beat Independent Jan Ross in Dulverton and Exmoor.

In the Lydeard ward, Conservative John Wilkins was elected, while fellow Conservative Tony McMahon won Upper Tone.

Minehead (turnout 35 per cent)

Ian Galloway (Lib Dem) 1,251

Brenda Maitland-Walker (Con) 1,495 (Elected)

Dunster (turnout 44 per cent)

Alison Gunner (Lib Dem) 813

Christine Lawrence (Con) 1,451 (Elected)

Dulverton and Exmoor (turnout 53 per cent)

Frances Nicholson (Con) 1,687 (Elected)

Jan Ross (Indp) 1,405

Watchet and Quantocks (turnout 47 per cent)

Tony Bowden (Lib Dem) 401

Hugh Davies (Indp) 1,575

Ralph Hammond (Green) 309

Anthony Trollope-Bellew (Con) 1,779 (Elected)

Lydeard (turnout 45 per cent)

Fran Evens (UKIP) 392

Jonathan Gray (Labour) 84

Paul Partington (Lib Dem) 1,118

John Wilkins (Con) 1,313 (Elected)

Upper Tone (turnout 49 per cent)

Tony McMahon (Con) 1,447 (Elected)

Steve Ross (Indp) 1,397

Charlene Sheriff (UKIP) 261