Dr Philippa Whitford has reclaimed the Central Ayrshire seat for the SNP, winning with 16,771 votes.

In a not-so-great night for the party, -  the SNP losing 21 of its 56 seats - Dr Whitford will be returning to Westminster.

Conservative Caroline Joy Hollis secured 15,504 votes, with Nairn McDonald receiving 11,762 for Labour.

Lib Dem candidate Tom Inglis received 1,050 votes.

Dr Whitford won with 37.2 per cent of votes, down -16 per cent from when she ended her Labour’s 23-year reign as MP for Central Ayrshire.

In her victory speech, after the count in Ayr’s Citadel leisure centre, Dr Whitford said: “I would like to thank my team for working so incredibly intensely over the last five weeks in an election that no one expected.

“I would like to thank all the people of Central Ayrshire who turned out to vote in one of the most horrible days we’ve had in the last five weeks.

And particularly those who put their trust in me to go back to Westminster again to speak up against austerity that is hurting the weakest and most vulnerable in our society.

“Now that I’ve been elected I’m the MP for everyone in this constituency and regardless how you voted, if you have a problem I and my team will try and help you.”

Final electorate figure of 68,999 announced for Central Ayrshire, with 65 per cent turnout.

Central Ayrshire figure for postal votes is 13,305, with 276 proxy votes made in the constituency. 

Caroline Hollins said: “I would like to thank all the people here tonight and the people who have counted the votes and all the people who have been out at the polling stations, I’d like to thank the police for keeping us safe here today and I’d like to thank all the Conservative party people who have helped with the campaign.

Young Labour candidate Nairn McDonald was positive despite his party slipping to third in Central Ayrshire. 

He said: “I’d like to start by echoing my fellow candidates' words thanking the returning officer and all her staff. I’d like to congratulate Philippa on her re-election to be the MP for Central Ayrshire and I’d like to thank all my team, agent Adam Todd and all the activists who have helped us talk to thousands of voters in this election. 

"What’s been clear is Theresa May’s gamble has not paid off, she wanted a stonking big majority to push though a Tory hard Brexit and the people have said no. 

"The politics of grievance and division is over and people have picked the policies of hope and investment. I think it’s about time for these damaging policies of the Tory party to end and it’s about time we had some unity in the country."