PRIME Minister Tony Blair was sent a stark message from voters in Hampshire today.

The Labour Party failed to gain a single seat in two major council elections in the county that have so far declared results this morning.

And in Eastleigh the party lost a seat it has only let slip once before in the past 75 years - to 29-year-old mum-of-two Jennifer Head who has just joined the Lib Dems and has never stood as a councillor before.

In Fareham it was a good night for the Conservatives who managed to take a further three seats from the Lib Dems. Labour still have no seats.

The overall strength of feeling from voters across Hampshire will become clearer later today as Winchester and Southampton city councils declare their results - expected around midday.

The Conservatives nationally were this morning delighted with the results - their biggest lead over Labour since 1992.

Sean Woodward, Tory leader in Fareham, said that he was overjoyed with his party's triumph.

"I am absolutely delighted. We were certainly expecting to make a few gains but we have got one more than I thought we would."

Eastleigh Lib Dem leader councillor Keith House said he too was celebrating a fantastic victory - one which received the praise of national party leader Charles Kennedy.

"This is tremendous. It is an ecstatic set of results. We have our biggest ever majority on the council which, after ten years in power, must be some kind of record itself," he said.

FOR FULL ELECTION RESULTS SEE TODAY'S DAILY ECHO.