ELECTION 2014: Gary Donnelly tops the poll in the Moor ward of the new Derry council

Independent candidate Gary Donnelly has topped the poll in the Moor ward of the new Derry & District council.

He joins two other independent councillors already elected to the council.

Donnelly's success this afternoon is one of the major stories of this year's election.

The Creggan man, who is a prominent dissident republican, stood in the elections for Derry City Council in 2011.

Then, he received 612 first preference votes.

However, he has enjoyed a massive surge in support by gaining 1,157 first preference votes in the election to the new council.