Elizabeth Truss has held her seat in South West Norfolk and increased her majority by more than 1,700 votes.

Eastern Daily Press: SW Norfolk Conservative candidate Elizabeth Truss is all smiles as she regains her seat. Picture: Matthew Usher.SW Norfolk Conservative candidate Elizabeth Truss is all smiles as she regains her seat. Picture: Matthew Usher. (Image: © Archant Norfolk 2015)

Elizabeth Truss has held her seat in South West Norfolk and increased her majority by more than 1,700 votes.

The Conservative minister for Defra thanked her campaign team and her mother - who was at Lynnsport in King's Lynn to hear the result - during her acceptance speech.

She said: 'I am extremely honoured and humbled to again be elected as MP for South West Norfolk.

'This is a great part of the country and the last five years have been a fulfilling, interesting and enjoyable time.'

She also took a moment to congratulate fellow Conservative winner Chloe Smith, who was confirmed as taking Norwich North just moments before.

She took 25,515 votes - 1,762 more than her haul in 2010.

UKIP candidate Paul Smyth managed the biggest increase in votes, increasing his party's share by 8,593 to 11,654.

But Liberal Democrat candidate Rupert Moss-Eccardt continued a woeful night for his party by losing 8,396 votes from 2010. He ended up with 2,217 votes.

Sandra Walmsley, Green, saw her vote rise to 2,075, up nearly 1,200 from 2010.

And Labour candidate Peter Smith saw his share of the vote drop, taking 8,649 compared to 9,119 in 2010.

The constituency turnout was 65.3pc, with 50,312 votes cast.