A 'storming' night for the Liberal Democrats in Stockport saw them draw level on seats with Labour - sparking competing claims to take charge of the town hall.
The party took full advantage of a collapse in the Tory vote to make four gains at their expense, while also deposing independent Kenny Blair in Marple South and High Lane.
However, Labour held on to the seven seats they were defending and made a gain in Manor to ensure they were not outnumbered by the Liberal Democrats come the end of the night.
It means Stockport remains in no overall control - with Labour and the Liberal Democrats tied on 26 seats each, while the Tories have eight and Heald Green Independent Ratepayers 3.
But with Labour and the Liberal Democrats neck and neck what happens next?
Labour says it has the right to continue as the executive - ie running the town hall- under the 'strong leader' model which all metropolitan councils had to adopt from 2010.
Although standing down at this election, Alex Ganotis remains leader of the council until the Annual Council Meeting on May 21, when his successor will be sworn in.
However, should the Liberal Democrats challenge this and bid to form the executive the mayor would have the casting vote.
And as it is understood Labour's Laura Booth will be mayor for the new municipal year this would effectively allow her party to maintain its grip on power.
"We are cautiously optimistic we can retain the executive, there’s no group larger than ours," said Coun Ganotis.
However, that does not alter the fact that - without a majority - Labour could find it very difficult to get key policies through the council.
Earlier this year their budget was rejected - the first time this had happened in Stockport for more than a quarter of a century - after Liberal Democrat leader Mark Hunter slammed it as 'petty and mean-minded'.
It was passed at the second time of asking, with a Liberal Democrat amendment securing £17,000 for area committees being carried.
But it's not a foregone conclusion that Labour will remain at the helm of the council.
Once the results were in the Liberal Democrats signalled they would be looking to hold conversations with other groups in a bid to find a way to power.
Although deputy leader Lisa Smart has repeatedly ruled out a coalition with the Tories, they could court the Heald Green Independent Ratepayers.
However it is thought unlikely they would act as kingmakers and traditionally back the incumbent party.
But that would still leave Labour vulnerable to a defection - either before the Annual Council Meeting, or during the course of the municipal year.
Whether they could lure a disaffected councillor from a rival party in order to give them the numbers, however, remains a moot point.
Liberal Democrat leader Mark Hunter hailed his party's 'storming night' and indicatied he would fight to take charge of the town hall, saying Labour 'no longer had a mandate.
And Coun Wendy Meikle, who held Offerton for the Lib Dems summed up the group's mood. "I think we've taken back control," she said.
"I think it's national feeling that's helped us. There were 73 spoiled votes in Offerton.
"I think it's just a feeling nationally.
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"People have fallen out of favour with the Conservative party and you can see that from the results tonight. "We took a kicking over the coalition. Obviously we are getting our seats back."
The party lost retiring leader Syd Lloyds's Bredbury Green and Romiley set as well as Hazel Grove, Stepping Hill and Marple North to the Liberal Democrats.
Coun Lloyd admitted it was a sad way to end his time as group leader.
He believed the Tories, more than any other party, had suffered a backlash over Brexit and he regretted that ‘good councillors’ had paid the price for that.
He said: "This was a local election on pavements, potholes and how the council is run not about Brexit - but those issues have flooded over into this election."
Labour leader Alex Ganotis said the story of the night was the 'collapse of the Tory vote everywhere, throughout the whole borough'.and agreed Brexit appeared to be the root cause of Conservative woe.
But Coun Ganotis on his own party's showing he said: "It was a reasonably good night for us - we're a larger group now than before the election.
"We've not only successfully defended all our seats, we've made a gain in Manor and are now on 26 seats - the largest number we have had for around 20 years.
"In terms of Labour's performance in the election it was a good night, but obviously the composition of the council has changed slightly."
How many council seats the Conservatives and Labour lost in the local elections
