A PAIR of Lib Dem heavyweights bore the cost of the Thornbury housing dispute, losing their town council seats to independent candidates last night.

Former town councillors Clare Fardell and Shirley Holloway, who between them have almost 50 years' experience, were ousted by independent candidates standing against the proposed Park Farm housing development.

It was down to a recount, asked for by Cllr Holloway, who found herself just 10 votes short of retaking her seat on the town council.

The pair were beaten by Cllrs Vincent Costello, Gareth Davies and Rob Hudson, all members of the residents’ campaign group Save Thornbury’s Green Heritage, who are opposed to 500 homes being built at Park Farm, a scheme endorsed by the former town council.

Cllr Fardell said: "Democracy is democracy. We are all trying to do the best for the town."

Both Cllrs Fardell and Holloway retained their seats on South Gloucestershire Council for the Thornbury North, and Thornbury South and Alveston seats respectively.

Elsewhere in the district there was an upset with the loss of Cllr Peter Tyzack, Lib Dem, in Pilning and Severn Beach, who was beaten by Tory Robert Griffin with less than 100 votes between the two men.