The Conservatives were annihilated in previously safe seats in Harpenden and Redbourn in the local council elections, which saw an unprecedented Liberal Democrat landslide across the district.

Tory leader Mary Maynard, and party-mates Stella Nash, Frances Leonard, Beric Read, Gill Clark, Julian Daly and Richard Curthoys were all political casualties as residents flocked to the polls on Thursday to cast their votes.

Results were declared in 20 wards, with 56 seats up for election: 17 wards saw three seats filled, two wards had two seats up for election and one ward had just a single seat in the balance.

The first result announced saw Lib Dem Chris Brazier re-elected for Colney Heath ward, before Lib Dems Michael Jones and Simon Mostyn were elected in Marshalswick West, taking the seat from the Conservatives, including sitting councillor Tom Clegg.

In the first suggestion that things were not going to go to plan for the Tories, group leader Mary Maynard lost her seat after Lib Dems Dason Canning, Paul De Kort and Pip Liver stormed to victory in Harpenden East.

In St Peter's ward, Lib Dems Danny Clare and Jacqui Taylor and the Green Party's Simon Grover were elected, while Redbourn was taken by Lucinda Carney (Lib Dem) and David Mitchell (Independent), with Tory Victoria Mead losing her seat.

The Lib Dem trio of Ed Moore, Ayesha Rohale and Allison Wren were all elected in Harpenden North and Rural ward - another win over the Conservatives.

Cunningham ward was won by Robert Donald, Roly Everall and Geoff Harrison, all Liberal Democrats, and there was another Lib Dem landslide in Verulam ward with Dawn Gamble, Edgar Hill and Andrew Warwick-Thompson elected.

Lib Dems Muki Gorar, Emma Matanle and Sarwar Shamsher were elected in Sopwell ward, with Independent Pia Honey of St Albans Carpets & Flooring Reuse Facebook group one of the candidates who were unsuccessful in winning a seat.

Elsewhere, Sinead Howland, Jenni Murray and Liz Needham (all Lib Dems) were elected for Batchwood ward, while in Park Street Conservatives Stella Nash and Richard Curthoys lost their seats following the election of Lib Dems Syed Abidi, John Parry and Nuala Webb.

Liberal Democrats Helen Campbell, Jez Levy and Mangala Patil Mead were elected for Bernards Heath, and Giles Fry, Ajanta Hilton and Vladimir Jirasek (all Lib Dems) took St Stephen.

There were no surprises in Hill End as Lib Dems Jamie Day, Azmat Mughal and Anthony Rowlands were all elected, but it was farewell to former Tory leader Julian Daly after Lib Dems John Galvin, Fiona Gaskell and Gill Haynes won Harpenden West.

The first Conservative victory of the campaign came in London Colney, where Simon Calder won a seat alongside Tony Lillico and Guy Gampbell (both Lib Dems), while Lib Dem leader Chris White was joined by Josie Madoc and Mark Pedroz to take Clarence ward.

Against the odds, the Conservatives held onto Harpenden South ward with Mark Beashel, Brian Ellis and David Heritage all elected.

The final result of the count was for Sandridge and Wheathampstead, where Lynn Cunningham, Kristian Gavan and Sharon Hollingsworth (all Lib Dems) were elected. Tory Gill Clark lost her seat.

Lib Dem Sam Collins, prospective parliamentary candidate for Hitchin and Harpenden, said afterwards: "This is an amazing result and a fantastic reward for all of our team who have given up so much of their free time to work for something that they believe in. We now have an amazing group of councillors in Hitchin and Harpenden, who will really work hard for those that they represent.

"This is a complete and comprehensive rejection of the Conservative party in Hitchin and Harpenden, people are fed up of Boris Johnson, Bim Afolami and the rest of them, nationally and locally. People here know that the Lib Dems will always put our area, and the people who live here first and that is why we have seen such stunning results."