Liberal Democrat Tim Farron has retained the Westmorland and Lonsdale seat with a massively increased majority.

Mr Farron held the seat with 30,896 votes - 12,264 more than his nearest rival, Conservative Gareth McKeever (18,632).

After a tense morning, with potential candidates sipping coffee, watching BBC coverage of the election upstairs or avoiding the count altogether while they waited for the numbers to be finalised, the results showed a landslide victory for the Liberal Democrats.

Results follow ambitious campaigning from all party members who fought a spirited battle to win favour with the public.

Tim Farron (Lib Dem), Gareth McKeever (Conservative), Jonathan Todd (Labour), and John Mander (UK Independence Party) all stood on stage to give speeches, thanking their families and friends.

For the Conservatives, who announced Westmorland and Lonsdale as their 13th most wanted constituency, the announcement will come as a blow.

The Lib Dems have strengthened their hold over the constituency.

There were only 267 votes dividing the Conservatives and Liberal Democrat candidates at the election five years ago.

But, with political passion running high, 77 per cent of the electorate turned out to give a convincing victory to Tim Farron.

He said the battle had been hard but he was thrilled with the result. "I spent the last five years working my socks off.

"My promise to you is I will work as hard for you - no foot off the gas."