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Hugh Evans bore the look of a man who had experienced the narrowest of squeaks as his wafer-thin margin of victory was announced at Llanelli's Selwyn Samuel Centre.

Just SIX votes separated Ammanford's mayor-elect from Plaid's unsung Deian Harries following a recount during what proved to be a dramatic Friday morning as the local election results poured in.

"Thank God I've got a large family in Pantyffynnon," quipped Cllr Evans, who had enjoyed a 299 majority back in 2004.

His gallows humour was appropriate as the full extent of Labour's polling disaster unfolded.

And Cllr Evans's relief was in stark contrast to the bitter disappointment of Mr Harries, the owner of a College Street shoe shop who came within a whisker of pulling off one of the biggest shocks of the elections.

"I never thought I'd win, but to get so close is really devastating," he said. "There were six spoiled votes as well."

Notable Labour casualties included: l The long-serving Colin Evans, who lost out by 61 votes to Plaid's David Jenkins in Glanaman; l John Dorian Evans, beaten into third place in Betws; l And Lyn Llewellyn, squeezed out by just 14 votes by Plaid's Marie Binney in Pontaman. Even Garnant's Kevin Madge, who enjoyed the largest majority of any Labour councillor four years ago, saw that slashed in half by Plaid's Emyr Williams.

In his victory speech, an emotional Cllr Madge said: "A year ago, Labour received a kicking here at the Welsh Assembly elections and it looks like we've received another kicking today.

"I will certainly miss colleagues, such as Colin Evans, who has worked so hard for Glanaman.

"This Labour Government has lost touch with the people just as the Tories did in 1997 - we all know what happened to them."

Cllr Anthony Jones, another Labour survivor in Llandybie, commented: "It's sad to see what has happened to so many experienced councillors who have worked so tirelessly in their communities.

"We must listen more to the grass roots and reflect on how people's day-to-day lives are being affected by improper Government decisions."

9:19am Wednesday 7th May 2008

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