Party makes gains in Labour and Tory heartland areas but one pollster says results suggest Reform may have peaked

Reform runaway winners in north-east, likely pushing Labour into opposition in Hartlepool, with other losses for Starmer in Chorley, Wigan, Redditch and Tamworth

Early results saw Labour haemorrhage hundreds of councillors and eight local authorities across England while Reform, the Greens and Liberal Democrats all made gains