Manuel Peréz Fenoll (PP) was ousted as mayor of Benidorm yesterday after a vote of no confidence brought by the Benidorm Twelve - 12 former PSOE members - and one turncoat PP councillor, José Bañuls.

The vote put former PSOE member, Agustín Navarro, into the mayor's office, representing a new political group - 'Socialistas de Benidorm', which includes Maite Iraola, the mother of one of Zapatero's highest ministers, Leire Pajín.

The motion was debated in an atmosphere of high tension, with the PP councillor's calling for a minute's silence 'for the death of democracy' before votes were cast, whilst outside, supporters of both the ousted mayor and the new political group protested vociferously throughout the session.

No sooner was the meeting over than the new mayor confessed his delight at ousting Maruja Sánchez, whose desertion from the PSOE in 1991 handed the office of mayor to the PP's Eduardo Zaplana, and who has been closely linked with the office ever since.

Socialist Navarro justified the vote of confidence on the basis of the PP's "non-government" and then outlined what his policies would be: to clean up the accounts and tighten the financial reins, improve social services, boost the town's major projects and increase the involvement of local people.

For his part, the deposed mayor, Manuel Peréz Fenoll, stated that the vote of no confidence had "snatched the office of mayor from the PP" and described the move as "a very sad day for democracy" saying that "no democrat could possibly understand the steps taken by these thirteen councillors" and adding that "no-one really knows who they represent".

He underlined his belief that the will of the people had been "undermined" and said that he regretted the fact that some people use the plenary session to "realise their hunger for power".

José Bañuls said, however, that his conscience was "completely clear" and that he would show the people of Benidorm that "all this was worthwhile".