The Conservative Party has retained control of Dorset County Council, while the UK Independence Party (UKIP) has won its first ever seat.

BBC: Dorset election: Conservatives retain council control

According to returns Friday from 34 contests across England, the right-wing United Kingdom Independence Party, or UKIP, won 139 county council seats, while the mainstream opposition Labour Party gained 291.

NPR: Cameron's Conservatives Suffer In UK Local Votes

The UK Independence Party has taken its first ever seats on Lincolnshire County Council, and ousted its deputy leader.

BBC: Lincolnshire

Looking to leapfrog others to take seats is the UK Independence Party, who have a strong presence in the county.

BBC: Local elections: Wiltshire Tories hope to keep control

First settled in the 1860s, by pioneers crossing the snow-capped Cascade Mountains, the county today reflects a modern version of that rugged independence.

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