GENERAL ELECTION 2015: Conservative Sir Edward Leigh retains Gainsborough seat

The 64-year-old polled 25,949 votes giving him a majority of 15,449.

Labour candidate David Prescott received 10,500 votes and UKIP candidate John Saxon got 7,727 votes.

Lib Dem candidate Lesley Rollings received 3,290 votes, Geoff Barnes of the Green Party got 1.290 and Lincolnshire Independent Chris Darcel received 505.

Sir Edward, who has held the seat since 1997, said: “It is a very humbling moment when you get to this stage, you never get used to it really.”

“Although some people say there are safe seats I never accept that. I think every seat is marginal because we are only as good as the people who send us to Westminster and it is a tremendously humbling experience when that happens and everytime that does happen it one of the greatest experiences of ones life.”

“I am very grateful to all people of West Lindsey and of course of Wragby who have once again returned me to Parliament.”

“I promise to fight as hard as I can for our communities where we live which we serve and represent this great county of Lincolnshire in our national Parliament.”

Afterwards Mr Prescott tweeted: “Really happy to increase Labour’s vote in Gainsborough by 3,000, push the Lib Dems from 2nd to 4th and hold off UKIP.”

Turnout for the constituency was 66.19 per cent.