DAVID Mowat has taken Warrington South from Labour.

He narrowly beat Labour candidate Nick Bent by just over 1,500 votes after polling 19,641 compared to his Labour opposite's 18,088.

Jo Crotty for the Lib Dems polled 15,094 while UKIP candidate James Ashington took 1,624 and the Greens Steph Davies took 427.

The result in the seat wasn't declared until gone 6am after a close battle.

Mr Mowat had been favourite to take the seat from Labour after Helen Southworth stepped down and a 6 per cent swing saw him win it for the Conservatives.

Despite a high profile campaign, Jo Crotty could do no better than third for the Lib Dems with three per cent more of the vote than 2005.

The turnout was up almost seven per cent at 68.2 per cent.