A LEADING district Tory hailed Thursday night's results as the beginning of the party's resurgence - and predicted the next Wyre Forest MP will be blue.

The elections boosted the number of Conservative councillors from seven to nine and reinforced the party's status as the second biggest group on the district council.

Chairman of the Conservatives in Wyre Forest Mark Simpson - who stood for parliament in the district in 2001 - said his party had trumped its opponents.

"We were actually the winners in terms of seats we gained and in terms of votes overall," he said.

"We fought a positive campaign. We aimed for the seats we felt we should target and we won them. We're looking to build on the result as we look forward to next year's all-out elections.

"And we are looking forward to the next General Election. I believe we can see the return of a Conservative MP."

Next year all 42 district council seats are up for grabs.

Mr Simpson put the party's success down to its emphasis on "community issues" such as crime and tax as well as health - and he promised "fundamental measures" this year to further boost Tory chances.

The party's candidates ousted Labour councillors in Areley Kings and Wolverley and Mr Simpson said Labour not Health Concern were the Tories' natural foes.

Labour's policies at both a national and district level had damaged Wyre Forest, he claimed.

He insisted he was not "knocking" Health Concern but said it was on the way out.

"We found on the doorstep a lot of people were disillusioned with Health Concern," Mr Simpson said.

He added: "When people voted for Health Concern two years ago I don't think they perhaps expected some of the decisions that have been made."