LABOUR scored a dramatic victory on Thursday night after regaining the Mark Hall ward from UKIP.

The Labour candidate, Danny Purton lost by 60 votes in May 2014 but came storming back to poll 586 votes.

Harlow Labour were cock-a-hoop at the poll and will clearly go forward for the next three months believing they have turned a corner.

UKIP’s Mark Gough polled 353, Conservatives with Jane Steer polled 334,, just 19 votes behind UKIP.

The Green candidate, Murray Sackwild polled 55 votes beating the former Lib Dem Mark Hall councillor, Lesley Rideout, who came last with 47 votes.

UKIP will need to ask themselves where they lost 308 votes in just nine months (a drop of 12%).

Maj: 233

Turnout: 26.43%

May 2014 result

Mark Hall (Two to be selected)

Jerry Crawford (UKIP) 662
Janet Doyle (UKIP) 646
Sheila Sullivan (Lab) 602
Danny Purton (Lab) 599
Emily Cross (Cons) 346
Jane Steer (Cons) 346
Lesley Rideout (Lib-Dem) 137
Robert Thurston (Lib Dems) 124