After weeks of furious campaigning the results are in.

And the picture across Essex makes for interesting reading.

Turnout was low across the board in Colchester, Tendring, Braintree and Maldon.

And on all councils the Conservatives suffered a loss of seats as candidates fell victim to nationwide anger with the party in Westminster.

In Colchester two seats changed hands with the Conservatives losing out on both occasions.

Castle ward saw Tory leader Darius Laws lose out to respected community campaigner and Green Party candidate Mark Goacher.

Mr Goacher is now the first Green councillor Colchester has ever seen.

Lib Dem Sam McCarthy also took Shrub End back from the Tories beating Vic Flores.

The Tory party had needed just one seat to have overall control, however two shock losses saw them slip further away from power.

The coalition parties - Lib Dems, Labour and the Highwoods Independents - will enter negotiations over the coming days.

There is also a question mark over whether Mr Goacher will now join them.

READ MORE: Colchester Council elections 2019 the full list of results

In Tendring it was another bleak picture for the Conservatives with the party losing overall control of a downsized Tendring Council.

The authority has been left in no overall control.

In total the Conservatives won 16 seats with Labour taking six, Ukip five and the Liberal Democrats two.

But it was a night for alternative parties as Holland-on-Sea and Eastcliff Matters took three seats, Tendring First four, Foundation Party one while a total of 9 independent candidates were elected.

In Braintree the Tory party kept control but there is now a larger opposition.

There are 34 Conservatives, six Green councillors, four representing Halstead Residents Association, three independents and two Labour councillors.

The Conservatives on Maldon District Council look set to face a tougher time in power after ending the night on 17 seats - down from 26 before.

They won 15 of the 29 seats up for grabs, with Independents taking 14.

READ MORE: "It was a tough night for local Conservatives"

But Tory-held Mayland was uncontested, giving the Conservatives two more seats and a slender majority of just three in the council chamber.

Further afield in Chelmsford the Conservatives suffered a heavy defeat - losing 31 seats on Chelmsford's council.

The Liberal Democrats achieved a shock victory securing 26 extra seats and taking overall majority of Chelmsford City Council.

The independents also gained five seats resulting in the new make up of the council 31 Liberal Democrats, 21 Conservatives and five independents.

The Tories also lost overall control of Basildon and Southend Borough Council but managed to retain control of Castle Point, Rochford, and Brentwood.