THE Conservative party has gained an early lead in the county council elections.

Votes are still being counted across Dorset but early results show that the Conservatives have won 12 wards and the Liberal Democrats have won two.

The turnout is reported at 14.12 per cent across the county.

In Beaminster the Conservatives kept their seat with Rebecca Knox getting 1,713 votes.

In Bride Valley Conservative candidate Ronald Coatsworth retained his seat with 54.40 per cent of the votes.

Conservative candidate Ian Charles Gardner snatched the lead in Chickerell and Chesil Bank with just 104 votes more than Lib Dem candidate Brendan Webster.

In Linden Lea Conservative councillor David Crowhurst kept his seat after receiving 58.13 per cent of the votes.

For live election results visit www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/localelections2009