HUDDERSFIELD voters have given the Lib Dems a kicking.

The party lost six seats on Kirklees Council yesterday, slipping into third place overall.

Labour remain the biggest party on the hung council, with the Conservatives moving up to second place.

Lib Dems crashed to defeat in Colne Valley, Golcar and Dalton in the first electoral test since the party went into a coalition government with the Conservatives.

Long-serving councillor Robert Iredale was among the casualties at yesterday’s count at Huddersfield Sports Centre.

The Lib Dem, who was first elected to Kirklees in 1989, lost his Golcar seat to Labour’s Hilary Richards by 200 votes.

The party also lost out in Dalton, with Labour’s Cliff Preest beating sitting councillor Roger Battye by 1,200 votes.

Labour’s Darren O’Donovan took Dewsbury West from the Lib Dems, unseating Naz Hussain.

Lib Dems also suffered at the hands of their coalition partners the Conservatives in yesterday’s count.

Former Tory councillor Tony Brice easily beat sitting Lib Dem Tony Woodhead in Lindley, winning by more than 700 votes.

The Conservatives also made a gain in Colne Valley, with Marsden woman Donna Bellamy taking the seat vacated by retiring Lib Dem Margaret Fearnley.

Labour surged into a strong second in the area on 1,554 votes, pushing Lib Dem Lynn Bradbury into third.

The party also dropped from first to third in Holme Valley North, where David Woodhead lost his seat to independent Edgar Holroyd-Doveton with the Conservatives coming second.

There was a rare piece of good news for the Lib Dems in Almondbury, where James Blanchard won the seat vacated by retiring councillor John Smithson. He finished 300 votes head of the Tories.