Mr Reckless, the constituency's former Conservative MP who defected in September, won with a 2,930 majority after a bitter seven week campaign.

The victory is further evidence that Ukip's hold on British politics is strengthening after the party won the Clacton by-election last month.

The result is a bitter personal blow for David Cameron, the Prime Minister, who visited the seat five times in five weeks to try to swing it for his candidate Kelly Tolhurst.