JUST three years after the first Health Concern candidates stormed on to Wyre Forest District Council, the party has seized control of the authority after another sensational election night.

It captured five more seats in Thursday's elections - mainly knocking aside sitting Labour councillors - to bring its tally to 21 on the 42-member council.

With the casting vote of the chairman it means the party - formed to fight the downgrading of Kidderminster Hospital which lost its blue light A&E services in September 2000 - is now in charge.

District Health Concern leader Liz Davies intends to form an administration - with or without coalition partners - and is likely to be voted the new leader at the full council meeting on May 15.

In a night of unfolding drama, council leader Mike Oborski, who easily retained his Kidderminster stronghold of Offmore, announced he was stepping aside after two years at the helm.

Retired doctor, Howard Eeles, joined the swelling Health Concern ranks by seizing Habberley and Blakebrook to join another medic, Kidderminster Hospital consultant Dr Reg Johnstone who won his Rock & Ribbesford seat two years ago.

Two high-profile Labour casualties were Kidderminster mayor John Stevens and Stourport mayor Michael Grinnall.

Kidderminster's Oldington and Foley Park - the county's most deprived ward - elected its third Conservative councillor.

But the only Health Concern candidate defending a seat - Mike Shellie in Kidderminster's Greenhill - lost his place to Liberal Paul Harrison.

Mrs Davies - who said the results exceeded Health Concern's expectations - claimed the continuing success of her party was down to "the people of Wyre Forest" and she dismissed claims the party's focus was too narrow and its new councillors were not up to the job.

"We're going to prove we're not a one-issue party - we're interested in real local issues like the health service, the incinerator and economic regeneration.

"And Health Concern councillors are very, very skilled people."

She added that although the Liberal Party had already pulled out of the coalition, she hoped both the Liberal Democrats and the Tories would continue to be partners.