10pm: Voting closed at 288 polling stations across Northumberland.

11.30pm: Returning officer, Geoff Paul announced that ballot boxes from Holy Island had been delayed by the incoming tide on the causeway.

12.30am: Leader of Northumberland Conservatives, Peter Jackson, predicted that his party would make gains across Northumberland.

1am: Labour leader for Northumberland, Grant Davey, told the Hexham Courant that he anticipated a similar outcome to the 2013 election, in which Labour won 32 seats across the county.

2am: The first result was announced with independent candidate Anne Dale winning the seat for Stocksfield and Broomhaugh.

2.06am: Conservative candidate Karen Quinn won the Bywell ward following independent councillor Paul Kelly’s retirement.

2.21am: Conservatives gained Prudhoe South from Labour.

2.38am: Leader of Northumberland Conservatives Peter Jackson held his seat in Ponteland South with Heddon.

3.09am: Conservatives gained Prudhoe North from Labour.

3.48am: The Liberal Democrats took their first seat, with Alan Sharp holding his seat in the Haydon & Hadrian ward.

5.21am: The first seat for Labour, Brian Gallacher held his seat for the Haydon ward, in Ashington.

6.55am: After 22 of 67 results had been announced, the Conservatives had secured 17, Labour had two seats, Independents had two seats and the Liberal Democrats had one.

8.05am: Leader of Northumberland Labour Grant Davey held his seat in Kitty Brewster.

8.10am: It was now impossible for Labour to gain a majority, holding 10 seats with only 23 to be declared.

9.12am: Only three wards were yet to be announced, and the Conservatives were three seats short of a majority.

9.43am: The result of a South Blyth recount was awaited. The Conservatives held 33 seats, Labour 24, Independents, 7 and Liberal Democrats, 2.

9.47am: The South Blyth seat was decided by drawing straws, resulting in the Conservatives missing out on a majority by one seat.

9.52am: The final state of the parties was declared as the Conservatives holding 33 seats, Labour 24, Independents, 7 and the Liberal Democrats 3.