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After years of renting in Oxfordshire, Alex Bonfield, 34, has relocated to Manchester to buy her first home.

The couple were priced out of buying near family and friends in Oxfordshire, where average house prices are £479,000, compared with £251,000 in Manchester.

They seized Shropshire from the Tories and gained control of Oxfordshire and Cambridgeshire after both previously had no party in overall control.

The Lib Dems have gained control of Oxfordshire and Cambridgeshire, two county councils where no party was previously in overall control, and have taken control in Shropshire, previously held by the Conservatives.

The Liberal Democrats have taken control of Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Shropshire County Councils, after taking dozens of seats from the Conservatives across England.