Former Helston and St Ives MP Andrew George has said he is deeply grateful to have been granted a majority in the Cornwall Council election.

Mr George, who lost his seat to Derek Thomas in the 2015 election after eight years in office, said it will be an honour to now represent the people of Heamoor, Ludgvan, Madron, Gulval, Zennor, Morvah, Newmill and surrounding hamlets and moors.

The Liberal Democrat thanked the previous incumbent of the new ward, Conservative Simon Elliott, saying he was gracious and kind in defeat.

Mr George got 1,483 votes while Mr Elliot achieved 873.

But he criticised the Tories being able to take power on the county council claiming only 12% of Cornwall's electors voted for them.

"But the Conservatives took 54% of the seats and therefore 100% of the power to now run the council for the next four years. I do not believe this is what the majority of people think is either right or satisfactory," he said.

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He added: "Whatever satisfaction there may be in winning this local contest is more that outweighed by my deep disappointment at witnessing the defeat of so many good people - not just fellow Liberal Democrats but Independents, Greens, MK and Labour.

"Many whom I could happily have worked in partnership with to put the best interests of Cornwall above Party politics.

"The election result is very bad news for Cornwall. Bad news for our environment, families in need, local families who suffer the consequences of worsening housing injustice, for our health and social care and for our children's future."

County Hall has been controlled by a Lib Dem/Independent coalition for the last four years but in recent general elections the Lib Dems had seen support decline while the Conservatives and Labour bolstered their votes.

Changes to electoral boundaries and the reduction of councillors from 123 to 87 had given this election an element of the unknown with several seats seeing sitting councillors up against each other.

By the end of the count the Conservatives had secured 47 seats and 37% of the vote, securing the majority that Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he wanted to see by the time the G7 summit rolls into Cornwall next month.

The Liberal Democrats meanwhile had secured just 14 seats and 20% of the vote and saw Cabinet members Geoff Brown (Newquay Central) and Rob Rotchell (Camelford & Boscastle) lose out to Conservatives.