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Fri 03 Mar 2007Alliance Party survives in Lagan ValleyThe Alliance Party last night survived in Lagan Valley as its candidate, Trevor Lunn, gained from the SDLP's departure from the constituency. Mr Lunn was deemed elected on the seventh count. As the count continued late last night, Sinn Féin's Paul Butler was elected following the elimination of the SDLP's Marietta Farrell.The DUP was hoping, with good vote management, to gain an extra, fourth seat after the party's best vote getter Jeffrey Donaldson's huge personal vote of four quotas in the 2005 Westminster election. As he received more than 3,000 surplus votes, it looked like it might be a challenge too far and the poll topper himself said it would be "tight".