Council seat decided on turn of playing card

The result of a council ward election in Great Yarmouth has been decided by cutting a pack of playing cards after four recounts recorded a dead heat between two candidates.

The election in the Yarmouth North saw Conservative candidate Bob Peck and Labour's Charlie Marsden receive 1,034 votes. As electoral law, The council's returning officer Richard Packham offered the candidates the option to draw lots, toss a coin or cut a deck of cards. On choosing the latter, Peck – who was defending the seat - drew a three and Marsden a seven, giving Marsden an extra vote and awarding him the seat.

Marsden told the BBC said: "I got lucky seven to decide the vote that was absolutely tied. This was a really tight campaign."

The result meant seven of the 14 council seats being contested were won by the Labour Party and seven by the Conservatives. However, the Conservatives retain overall control of the council.