Tories triumph throughout the South East

Conservatives triumph throughout the South East Credit: ITV Meridian

Conservative voters came out in droves across Kent and East Sussex to return the Tories into Government.

The Conservatives held on to all their seats except one and added three more to their tally in some hard-fought campaigns. They took two from the Liberal Democrats and one from Ukip.

Caroline Ansell will be the new Conservative MP for Eastbourne - ousting Stephen Lloyd from the Liberal Democrats. Norman Baker also loses his Lewes seat for the Lib Dems - replaced by Tory Maria Caulfield.

In Hastings, where the Conservatives were thought to be under threat, Amber Rudd was re-elected with a bigger majority.

The full report by Abigail Bracken below contains flash photography.