Susan Aitken the SNP group leader has held her seat in the council election despite coming second to the Greens on first preference votes.

Holly Bruce won the first preference vote for the Greens, with 3173 votes, ahead of the SNP leader on 2899.

Both were elected at the first stage.

The SNP retained two seats in the ward with Paul Leinster elected with Labour taking one through Stephen Docherty.

The result is a boost for the Greens and while the SNP held both seats is a personal setback for Susan Aitken.

The other group leaders also held their seats.

Malcolm Cunning topped the poll in Linn where Labour took two seats and the SNP one. It was a Labour gain from the Conservatives with Euan Blockley losing his seat.

He said: "I'm pleased we have won two seats in my ward. If I couldn't do it in my own ward it wouldn't send a good message across the city.

"There is a particularly Glasgow phenomenon going on. the city wants change." 

Thomas Kerr, Conservative group leader, held on to his seat in Shettleston, while the Tory vote collapsed elsewhere.

The party, which won eight seats at the last election, has so far lost seats in Linn, Newlands/Aulburn and Pollokshields.

Thomas Kerr held on to take the fourth seat in the Shettleston ward denying the SNP a second seat.

In the early stages of the counting the Greens are by far the happiest. Or “buoyant”  as co-leader Jon Molyneux said.

The party has topped the poll in Langside, Pollokshields and Hillhead, also held a seat in Govan and gained in Newlands/Auldburn.

The Greens and Labour are so far the happiest groups in the counting hall.

The Tories are the most disconsolate with the SNP looking pensive but still hopeful they will win enough in the remaining wards to retain their status as the largest party.

Full results are expected to be known at around 5pm today.