The Conservatives have regained the Witney seat - once held by turncoat MP Shaun Woodward - with an increased majority.

David Cameron gives his victory speechThe party's new candidate, 34-year-old media executive David Cameron, polled 45 per cent of the vote to return the seat - as expected - back to its traditional Tory blue.

Mr Woodward declined to contest the seat after switching to Labour in 1999 and was returned to Parliament in St Helen's south on Merseyside last night.

Mr Cameron, Eton and Oxford-educated, has already moved in to the constituency with his wife Samantha and now lives at Dean, near Charlbury.

He said: "We fought this campaign as if it were a marginal seat. After what happened with Shaun Woodward it was tremendous to win with an increased majority.

"We campaigned hard for every vote and I am now looking forward to the job of representing this constituency.

"It has been a difficult night for the Conservative Party, but we will now have to rebuild."

Labour's replacement candidate, 43-year-old former barrister and teacher Mike Bartlet, was fighting his first ever General Election and came second with a 28.8 per cent share of the vote.

Mr Bartlet said: "It's been an excellent campaign with a good level of debate at election meetings. I have enjoyed it."

Liberal Democrat Gareth Epps, from Charlbury, was also contesting for the first time and came third with exactly 10,000 votes.

Mr Epps said: "I am disappointed we did not move further forward into second place behind the Tories. But our share of the vote increased and we brought positive ideas to the electorate."

Independent Barry Beadle, who runs the Hollybush Inn in Witney, said; "Our aim was to save our deposit and have a bit of fun. It's certainly been fun."

With 1,003 votes, Mr Beadle did keep his deposit.

The turn-out was 66.23 per cent, more than ten per cent down on 1997, and the Conservative majority was 7,973.

Check out the full Witney results

Check out the full national results