Lamb keeps firm hold on North Norfolk

Liberal Democrat Norman Lamb stretched his already comfortable majority in North Norfolk as the Tories failed to make any inroads into his firm grip on the constituency.

Liberal Democrat Norman Lamb stretched his already comfortable majority in North Norfolk as the Tories failed to make any inroads into his firm grip on the constituency.

Mr Lamb first wrestled the former safe Conservative seat with a wafer thin 483-vote majority in 2001 before cementing it with a landslide 10,606 in 2005.

He increased his share of the vote by 2.3pc to 27,554, and a majority of 11,626, ahead of Tory Trevor Ivory whose 15,928 saw the Conservatives slip by 3.9pc despite their successes elsewhere in the country.

Labour remain rooted in third with Phil Harris polling 2,896, a fall of 3.1pc, while UKIP's Michael Baker increased their vote by 3.7pc to 2,680. The Greens Andrew Boswell had 508 votes and independent Simon Mann 95 in a 73pc turnout.

The result was declared at Cromer High School sports hall just before 4am.