Conservative Andrew Stephenson has ousted Labour MP Gordon Prentice in Pendle.

He wiped out Mr Prentice’s 2,200 majority, winning one of East Lancashire’s most hotly-contested seats by more than 3,500.

With a 6.63 per cent swing to the Tories, Mr Stephenson stormed to victory with 17,512 votes, compared to 13,927 for Mr Prentice, who served Pendle for 18 years.

The Liberal Democrats finished third, with 9,095 votes, while the BNP and UKIP made modest gains on their 2005 results.

Afterwards, as an emotional Mr Prentice made a hasty exit from Colne’s Pendle Leisure Centre, Mr Stephenson thanked voters for electing him.

He said: "I am absolutely delighted by the result and I am humbled to become Pendle’s MP."

Result

Mohammed Afzal Anwar, Liberal Democrats – 9,095

Graham Geoffrey Cannon, UK Independence Party – 1,476 votes

James Daniel Morris Jackman, British National Party – 2,894 votes

Richard Eric Masih, Christian Party - 141 votes

Gordon Prentice, Labour Party – 13,927 votes

Andrew Stephenson, Conservative Party – 17,512 votes

Electorate: 66,422

Rejected ballots: 154

Turnout was 68.05%