One in three voters turned out to give their mid-term assessment in the local elections - giving Labour a bloody nose in Birmingham and the Tories gains across the country.

More than 10,000 seats were up for grabs in the 238 non-metropolitan, 54 metropolitan and 28 unitary councils across England.

The Tories made over 500 gains - with Labour losing in excess of the same number of seats.

The Lib Dems increased their share of the vote - securing over 100 additional council wards.

The Conservative Party won some early victories - taking control of East Staffordshire, Hyndburn and Worcester.

It also had a psychological victory in Basildon - where it seized the council from no overall control.

Congleton turned true blue again after a period with no party being in sole command.

Labour took a blow in its inner city heartland of Birmingham - where it lost a substantial number of councillors and saw the council slip into no overall control.

Tony Blair's party also lost control of Rochdale and Trafford.

The Lib Dems, who saw their support running at around 30 per cent, secured gains across England but lost their clutch on Brentwood Council.

The BNP made gains in some of the small number of seats they contested - taking seven wards in Burnley and picking up seats in both Broxbourne and Stoke on Trent.

The Greens also received a boost: securing a seat on Norwich City Council following a concerted local campaign.

The Tories said they were pleased by the result - which far exceeded their public predictions of just 30 gains.

Shadow chancellor Michael Howard said the Conservatives were "now the biggest party in local government in England both in terms of the number of councillors and in terms of the number of councils held".

"I think it is a good night," he told the BBC.

Charles Kennedy said the results showed that the Lib Dems were making gains in some key Tory heartlands.

"Tory MPs should take note of the fact that the Liberal Democrats are winning in the constituencies of Theresa May, Virginia Bottomley and Michael Howard," he said.

"We are set to make major gains from the Conservatives at the next general election."

Labour insisted Iain Duncan Smith's party would have to poll far higher than 34 per cent if it was to be in with a chance of winning the next election.