But success for Labour's Paul Reynolds marked bitter defeat for his British National Party rival, John Rowe, four of whose supporters are now facing £30,000 in legal costs bills.

The election, on May 3rd last year, for the Rosegrove and Lowerhouse Ward was declared a tie by the Returning Officer, but Mr Reynolds won the seat after lots were cast.

That result will now stand after Mr Justice Tugendhat and Mr Justice Blake ruled today that a single disputed ballot paper had been rightly counted in Mr Reynolds' favour.

The ballot paper had a diagonal mark in the left hand column beside the number of the Labour candidate - rather than a cross in the right hand column - but the judges nevertheless ruled the Returning Officer had rightly discerned the voter's intention to cast his vote for Labour.

The election petition, challenging the declared result of the poll, was taken to court by four voters - Michelle Pilling, Scott Atkinson, Susan McDevitt and Ian Smith - who the court today ordered to pay £30,000 in legal costs bills, despite being told they are of "scant means".

The judges will give reasons for their decision at a later date in writing.