David Cameron almost doubled the Conservative majority in Witney today, with the Liberal Democrats taking second place from Labour for the first time since the 1980s.

With a majority of more than 14,000, Mr Cameron MP has taken a lead closer to that enjoyed by former Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd in the traditionally Conservative seat of Witney.

Liberal Democrat Liz Leffman hailed her party's increase in the vote as a breakthrough, and said she hoped to be competing again at the next General Election.

Tony Gray, standing for Labour, said he also hoped to stand again and see a return of "progressive politics" to west Oxfordshire.

After an earlier than expected result, UKIP candidate Paul Wesson promised the party would be back to campaign on the European Referendum.

Mr Wesson came last, with a small increase on 2001. He was narrowly beaten by Green candidate Richard Dossett-Davies, who presented Mr Cameron with a book called Green Alternatives to Globalisation.

Mr Cameron, whose first engagement as returning MP will be speaking to Finstock Parish Council, said: "I want to say thank you to everyone who took part in the election. It was very amicable and a clean fight. But I'd also like to say thank you to the people of west Oxfordshire for supporting me, and I will do my best not to let them down.

"We worked hard for the support. I've tried to be a hard-working MP for the last four-and-a-half years, it's a good job and one I love, and I've tried to do it on behalf of everyone in west Oxfordshire, not just the people who voted for me."

He said protecting local services would be one of the challenges facing him over the next four years, and said the effects of changes to out-of-hours GPs surgeries was an issue he had encountered on doorsteps and intended to pursue.

Asked about his prospects as the next leader of the party -- a question he is increasingly asked -- Mr Cameron said: "It's not on my horizon at all, I think Michael Howard did a very good job and I want him to continue as leader."

Liberal Democrat Liz Leffman thanked her supporters and said: "We'll go home feeling very pleased indeed. To break through after 20 years to second place is a major step forward for us, and that's despite the fact that we've got a very good MP in David Cameron. It's down to hard work and a very strong national campaign, and the plan is to be back in four years time."

Labour's Tony Gray said: "It was a very tough campaign, but it's been great in terms of the country. Although progressive politics may have taken a big step back in west Oxfordshire, as a country we're moving forward."