UPDATE: Conservative Sir Peter Bottomley elected in Worthing West

Returning officer Alex Bailey announced the result at Impulse Leisure, in Manor Road, Lancing this morning (Friday, May 8).

The Tory polled slightly more votes than 2010, with 26,124 compared to 25,416 but had an almost identical share of the vote at 51 per cent.

UKIP managed second place with 9,269 votes, upping its share by a huge 12 per cent.

UKIP Tim Cross said: “It feels pretty good. We ran a fantastic campaign and had a lot of fun doing it with a great team behind me.

“We have increased our share of the vote and that is a big step forward.”

Labour’s Jim Deen was third with 7,955 votes, Hazel Thorpe for the Lib Dems fourth on 4,477 votes and the Greens last with 2,938 votes.

The Greens, however, trebled its share in a promising night, winning 2,938 votes.

Speaking after the result, Sir Peter paid tribute to those who had lost their seats nationwide, saying the country was ‘better off’ for what the Lib Dems did as part of the coalition.