REDCAR has its first Conservative MP after Jacob Young swept to victory in the early hours of Friday morning.

The warning signs for Labour’s Anna Turley were there early in the count with the ballot papers showing an early lead for the young Tory and her nervousness was clear when she declined the opportunity to speak to the media following her arrival at Redcar Leisure Centre.

And as the final count was announced it was clear that Jacob Young has smashed Ms Turley’s 9,485 majority and was returned with his own majority of 3,527.

When he stood in the same seat four years ago he was unable to take the constituency, but this election saw him ease to victory. Peter Gibson, who lost two years ago when he stood in Redcar, bounced back from that disappointment when was elected as the Conservative MP for Darlington.

In a magnanimous speech the 26-year-old praised his main rival’s passion for the town and vowed to listen to the people of the area and help to deliver Brexit.

“I stood in this hall four years ago and I didn’t think I would be here today as the next MP for Redcar,” he said. “Thank you to the candidates, especially you Anna, you have been an absolute champion for this area and although I don’t agree with everything you have done, you have fought with passion and determination.”

Ms Turley laid the blame firmly at the door of the Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn.

She said: “The name Jeremy Corbyn came up on the doorstep every single time and I don’t think people thought that we had the leadership with the competence or the ability to lead the country.

“Of course Brexit was an issue but I don’t think it was as much as people’s belief in the party to form a credible government and I think I would never go back on any of the decision that I took to not back a Brexit deal that was going to be damaging to this area.”

The full result for Redcar was: Jacqui Cummins, Brexit Party 2,915; Karen King, Liberal Democrat 2,018; Rowan McLaughlin, Green 491; Anna Turley, Labour and Co-operative Party 15,284; Frankie Wales, Independent 1,323 and Jacob Young, Conservative 18,811 (elected).