RESIDENTS have elected UKIP candidates on to Harwich Town Council for the first time.

A wave of support for the party saw 22 Ukip councillors elected to Tendring Council, as well as the Clacton MP Douglas Carswell retaining his seat.

But while Harwich returned one Ukip councillor for the district council, there are now four from the party on Harwich Town Council.

In January last year, Hugh Thompson defected to Ukip, having been elected on to the town council as a Conservative.

But Friday saw the first Ukip councillors elected on to the council.

John Brown, Ukip councillor for Harwich West on both Tendring Council and Harwich Town Council, said: “The support for Ukip in Harwich is really growing."

n Harwich Town Council is made up of 16 councillors.

There are nine Labour councillors, four Ukip and three Conservatives.