LIBERAL Democrat candidate Duncan Hames has become the first winner of the new Chippenham constituency after beating Tory Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones by 2,470 votes.

Returning officer Andrew Kerr announced the result just before 5am.

Cheers broke out amon Liberal Democrat party workers an d supporters as the closely fought battle came to an end.

Mr Hames, from Holt, near Bradford on Avon, thanked campaigners and his new constituents.

He said: “Nick Clegg’s call to change politics has lead us to a victory where we have never won before.

“He put fairness at the heart of our country and in parliament.

“We will strive to win a fair deal for Wiltshire.

“Our campaign was about changing politics for good.

“I am sure the other candidates would like to join me in thanking everyone who has conducted this count and this election so efficiently.

“Above all else I want to thank my constituents, the people who really matter in this election.

“Without them this whole process, all the debates and all the arguments would be meaningless.

“What really matters is the lives of the people who have taken part in this election and voted for the candidates.

“As your next MP, I won’t forget that and I will remember that my first priority is to represent their best interests as well as I possibly can.”

Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, who had been followed on his campaign by a Channel 4 documentary team intending to chart his progress to Westminster, said: “I would like to thank all my supporters.

“Since I was selected four years ago, I have really been taken to heart by the people of this constituency and what we have demonstrated is we’re right on the back of Duncan Hames.

“He has been given a wonderful privilege and I hope he doesn’t let the people down.

“I congratulate him, he has done well, but he knows it has been a close fight.”

Greg Lovell, the Labour candidate, said: “It has been a really interesting campaign, because I never expected to win, I have been in a position to challenge the other two candidates at the hustings and the meetings and I think we have had a really important role.

“We have made people think a bit harder about the decision they have had to make.”

> Result Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones Conservative 21,500 Duncan Hames Liberal Democrat 23,970 Greg Lovell Labour 3,620 Samantha Fletcher Green 446 Julia Reid UKIP 1,783 John Maguire English Democrat 307 Michael Simpkins BNP 641 Richard Sexton Christian Party 118 Turnout 52,320 (72.74 per cent) Electorate 71, 433 58 papers rejected