The leader of Leicestershire Labour group Dr Terri Eynon is the party's first casualty in the county council elections after the Tories gained Coalville North.

Councillor Eynon said she was not surprised and that she thinks the defeat is a reflection of the national mood.

"I'm not really surprised, I have to say I thought this would happen," she said.

"I don't think I should take it personally, I think this says something about the national mood, results elsewhere seem to suggest so too.

"We have a representative democracy and people have voted for someone they think best reflects them and their life.

"The electorate have dictated that Labour isn't flavour of the month. We've lost Forest and Measham and we're not confident in Braunstone either."

Dr Eynon, a former GP, was first elected to the County Council in 2013. She has been the Labour leader since 2017.

Labour group held the smallest number of seats in County Hall with six members before today.

The first two results have so far gone the ruling Conservative group's way. Click here for results and the latest reaction.

Dr Eynon warned her successor Craig Andrew Smith, that people in Coalville are still 'devastated' about Snibston.

"I hope he recognises that a lot of people in Coalville are still very upset about what happened with Snibston, cultural heritage is very important to people," she added.

"They were and still are devastated. It still hurts."

Looking to the future, Dr Eynon has plans to continue her work in editing and proofreading after achieving a distinction in her recent masters.

"I have planned for this and look forward to a new beginning," she said.

"I can continue with all the bits of the job I do like and stop doing the bits I didn't."