Newark by-election: Conservative Robert Jenrick wins by 7,403 votes over UKIP candidate Roger Helmer

Robert Jenrick has been elected as the new Newark MP - with a majority of 7,403 after a strong showing from UKIP.

Mr Jenrick polled 17,435 votes against Roger Helmer's 10,028, cutting the Tories' majority of more than 16,000 in the 2010 election.

Labour's Michael Payne was third with 6,842 votes.

Paul Baggaley came fourth with 1,891 votes, and Green Party candidate David Kirwin polled 1,057 votes, beating the Liberal Democrat candidate David Watts, who came in sixth place with 1,004.

The poorest performing candidate was Lee Woods of the Patriotic Socialist Party who received just 18 votes in his first ever election.

Mr Jenrick said people of Newark had voted to back the Government and he would now work to deliver on the key issues including improving transport infrastructure and securing the future of Newark Hospital.

He said: "Not for the first time in its history the eyes of the nation have fallen on Newark.

"This by-election has wider national significance because the Conservatives have not won a by-election in Government since William Hague.

"The people of Newark have voted to back this Government and to back this Government's economic plan to secure the future of this constituency and of this great country.

"We have fought this by election on the issues that matter to the people of Newark."

Mr Jenrick said he believed the vote showed the people of Newark did not have faith that the Labour party or Ed Miliband had the answers to the problems facing the country.

The campaign had seen several senior Conservative politicians, including Prime Minister David Cameron, Chancellor George Osborne and Foreign Secretary William Hague, visit the constituency.

Turn-out for the by-election was 52.7 per cent. The vote was caused by the resignation of Patrick Mercer.

Full result: Robert Jenrick (Conservative) 17,435; Roger Helmer (UKIP) 10,028; Michael Payne (Labour) 6,842; Paul Baggaley (Independent) 1,891; David Kirwan (Green Party) 1,057; David Watts (Liberal Democrats) 1,004; Nick the Flying Brick (Monster Raving Loony) 168; Andy Hayes 117; Bus Pass Elvis 87; Dick Rodgers (Common Good Party) 64; Lee Woods (Patriotic Socialist Party) 18.

Rejected votes: 59