CONSERVATIVE voters turned out in Faversham and Mid Kent to return their sitting MP with double his previous majority.

In a result declared just after 3am, Hugh Robertson held the seat with 21,690 votes - giving him a majority of 8,720 over second-placed Labour candidate, Andrew Bradstock.

With turnout up from 60.4 per cent in 2001 to almost 66 per cent this time around, Mr Robertson said rural residents had been eager to come out to vote and make their anger towards the Government known.

Speaking about the campaign trail, Mr Robertson said: "There was a discernable anger in the rural parts of the constituency.

"Rural areas are not traditionally places where you get heavy voting, but you might find that some in the county have voted in greater numbers than ever before because they are really bitter.

"We filled our campaign coffers very quickly this time around - we had farmers coming down from the North Downs and into the office giving us £10 notes out of their pockets."

Mr Bradstock’s total of 12,970 votes represented another downward slide for Labour, from 14,556 in 2001 and 17,843 in 1997.

Mr Bradstock said: "The national swing is being played out here as well to some extent. But a lot of the issues raised on the doorstep have been local issues."

The Liberal Democrats gained almost 2,000 votes on their 2001 total, with candidate David Naghi polling 7,204 votes.

Mr Naghi said: "It’s fantastic. We increased our vote - what more can we do?"

The UK Independence Party candidate, Robert Thompson, received 1,182 votes - up about 1,000 on their 2001 poll.

Mr Thompson said: "We will continue to fight to restore democracy to this country and to free Britain from the shackles of the EU."

And the Official Monster Raving Loony Party candidate, Norman Davidson won 610 votes, telling those assembled at Maidstone Leisure Centre to "go away and have fun".