Eleanor Laing has once again been elected as the Member of Parliament for Epping Forest.

The MP, who has held the seat since 1997, was announced as the winner with 27,027 votes at the count at Debden Park High School in Willingale Road, Loughton, at 3.56am today (May 8).

She took a 55 per cent share of the vote - 37 per cent more than her closest rival, UKIP candidate Andrew Smith.

Mr Smith made huge gains for the party, taking home 9,049 votes - 7,197 more than the 2010 election.

Taking the third largest share of the vote was Gareth Barrett for Labour, who received 16 per cent, followed by Liberal Democrat Jon Whitehouse with seven per cent, Anna Widdup for the Green Party with four per cent, and Mark Wadsworth with only 80 votes.

Speaking after her victory, Eleanor Laing said: “I am absolutely delighted and very touched that the people of Epping Forest have come out, in greater numbers, to give me support.

“It is my privilege to serve our community and a pleasure to do so, not just for the people that voted for me but everyone who lives in Epping Forest.”

Mrs Laing said: “I once again pledge to be a diligent and hardworking Member of Parliament for Epping Forest and I just have to say this – it looks like a Conservative government.”

Runner-up Andrew Smith, who also ran in 2010, said: “I am satisfied with second place, it is the sort of target I set myself.

“The percentage result we achieved in Epping Forest is a credit to the campaign we have run.”

He added that a greater share of votes nationwide was unlikely to translate into seats for UKIP, but he felt it would continue to influence British politics.      

Brentwood councillor Gareth Barrett thanked the 7,962 people who voted for him, and promised not to forget their support.

He said: “I may not be a Member of Parliament but I remain an activist in the lives of local residents.”

Taking to Twitter after the results, Jon Whitehouse admitted the drop from 10,017 to 3,448 was disappointing.

He said: “Not the result we hoped for nationally or locally but [I] will continue to stand up for liberal values (which we'll need over next five years) and work for residents in Epping Forest.”

Anna Widdup made large gains for the Green Party, taking 1,782 votes compared to only 659 in 2010.

She said: “I think the Green message is gradually getting through, people are becoming more aware of our policies and I think to almost triple our share is a good thing.”

Young People’s Party candidate Mark Wadsworth failed to attend the count, and his party’s share of the vote officially showed as zero per cent on the Epping Forest district council website.

Speaking to Guardian reporters at the beginning of the count, Mr Wadsworth said: “We all know YPP will come last, so why prolong the agony?”

Asked what her immediate plans for the new term were, Mrs Laing said she would aim to do “everything I said in my election leaflet”, which included protecting the green belt and pledging to lower taxes.

Images and video taken throughout the event can be seen, here.