Two Conservative candidates who lost the Barnhill by-election have issued a petition claiming some of their votes were incorrectly allocated to Labour candidates.

Stefan Voloseniuc and Kanta Mistry narrowly lost the by-election to Labour candidates on January 23.

Mansoor Akram received 1,194 votes while Gaynor Lloyd won 1,152 against Ms Mistry's 1,082 and Mr Volonseniuc's 1,018.

The petitioners claim that votes were incorrectly allocated and are asking for a recount so it can be "determined" that they "ought to have been duly elected".

"A bundle of 100 block of the Petitioners votes were unduly transferred into the winning Labour candidates piles," the petition states. "As soon as the Petitioner's bundle of 100 votes had been moved it seemed the panic in the Labour camp was replaced with joy."

They state they were not allowed a recount by returning officer for Brent Council Carolyn Downs, nor was their agent allowed to "flick through" bundles to check.

Brent Council states the petition is "being dealt with appropriately through the court process".