THERE were no real election surprises in the district as both local MPs held onto their seats.

But while Taunton's Liberal Democrat Jeremy Browne increase his share of the vote, Bridgwater and West Somerset Conservative Ian Liddell-Grainger saw his drop by 0.1 per cent.

The results appeared to buck the national trend - across the country the Liberal Democrats lost support from voters as the Conservatives gained seats.

In the Bridgwater and West Somerset constituency there was a 2.9 per cent swing from the Conservatives in favour of the Liberal Democrats, while in Taunton there a 1.8 per cent swing, again from the Conservatives to the Liberal Democrats.

However, Taunton Conservative Mark Formosa did manage to increase his percentage share of the vote, which was up 1.1 per cent.

He finished second with 24,538 votes to Mr Browne's 28,531.

In Bridgwater and West Somerset, Mr Liddell-Grainger took 45 per cent of the vote to poll 24,675 votes, with Liberal Democrat Theo Butt Philip coming second with 15,426 votes.

In 2005, the Liberal Democrats trailed home in third place to Labour in the consistency, but this time, the Lib Dem share went up 5.7 per cent and Labour's plummeted by 8.5 per cent.

Both seats were affected by boundary changes as Dulverton and a large chunk of Exmoor switched from the Taunton constituency to Bridgwater and West Somerset.

There was also a high turnout in both wards, with 71.2 per cent polling in Bridgwater and West Somerset and 70.5 per cent casting their vote in the Taunton consistency.

The result will see Mr Liddell-Grainger serve a third term in Parliament and this week he thanked everyone who had voted for him but warned tough challenges lay ahead.

He said: "It was a very fair election in Bridgwater and West Somerset and all the candidates did a really good job.

"Democracy was well served but this is where the hard work really starts because there are major structural problems in this country that need to be addressed.

"The economy, jobs and immigration all need to be tackled, while in West Somerset tourism, roads and Exmoor National Park Authority are all issues which were raised with me on the doorstep."

Mr Browne will be facing his second term in office - the first time a candidate has managed such a feat in the Taunton Deane constituency for 18 years as power has traditionally swung between the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives.

Mr Browne said: "I am thrilled to be the first MP to be re-elected in Taunton Deane since 1992.

"I am flattered by the amount of support I received and I will do my best to work hard for everyone in Taunton Deane, regardless of how they voted."

Elsewhere in Somerset, the Lib Dems held on to three seats and gained a previously safe Tory seat in Wells, while the Conservatives held on to two.

Bridgwater and West Somerset

(now including Dulverton and parts of Exmoor)

Candidate Party Votes % of poll +/-

Ian Liddell-Grainger Con 24,675 45.3 -0.1

Theo Butt Philip Lib Dem 15,426 28.3 +5.7

Kathryn Pearce Labour 9,332 17.1 -8.5

Peter Hollings UKIP 2,604 4.8 +1.1

Donna Treanor BNP 1,282 2.4 +2.4

Charles Graham Green 859 1.6 -1.2

Bob Cudlipp Ind 315 0.6 +0.6

Majority: 9,249

Turnout: 54,493 (71.2% - up 7.2%)

Taunton Deane

Candidate Party Votes Percentage +/-

Jeremy Browne Lib Dem 28,531 49.1 +4.7

Mark Formosa Con 24,538 42.2 +1.1

Martin Jevon Labour 2,967 5.1 -7.0

Tony McIntyre UKIP 2,114 3.6 +1.2

Majority: 3,993 votes

Turnout: 58,150 (70.5% - up 1.2%)