CLIVE Grunshaw has won a second term in office as Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner.

In a tense count at Blackburn’s King George’s Hall, he beat his nearest rival, Conservative Andy Pratt. But that was not before a second count was needed because no-one achieved more than 50 per cent of the vote.

In the first preference count Mr Grunshaw was the outright winner with 132,261 votes, Mr Pratt was second with 96,746, James Barker, UKIP, finished third with 49,987 and Graham Roach, Lib Dem, was fourth with 23,164.

A total of 9,697 papers were rejected and the turnout was 29 per cent, with 311,855 voting.

That forced it to a second preference vote, which saw Mr Grunshaw winning by 152,714 votes to Mr Pratt’s 118,941.

Mr Grunshaw said: “I feel tired but I feel elated by the support I have had from the people of Lancashire.

“It’s exciting to be around now and to have the opportunity to deliver on what I have been talking about in the next term of office.

“I’ll be able to deliver on the pledge around improving Lancashire, which is already one of the best performing forces in the country. I don’t want to be one of the best. I want to be the best.

“The first term has been really difficult because of the cuts and the extent of them. Now I think because we have defended against the extent of the cuts, I think we’re not in a bad place now to go forward and talk about investment in the service.”

Former East Lancashire Detective Mr Pratt said: “I have had a very good time and I have met some very good people. I am grateful for all the support I have had and I thank everyone who voted for me.”

UKIP candidate James Barker said: “We got a fantastic result for the party. We have doubled the vote from last time out. We have activated the democratic process now where the two main candidates had to go in to a second stage.

“I just wish I had had a longer campaign but this result demonstrates the appetite in the county both for the party and for the role of police and crime commissioner.”

Chief Constable Steve Finnigan said: “It’s obviously important for me to have a professional working relationship with whoever was elected as the PCC.

“I am confident that Clive and I will continue with what over the last three and a half years has been a strong professional working relationship.

“We have got lots of challenges in place and I look forward to sitting down with him and talking about how we can take Lancashire Constabulary forward.

“Austerity is still around but I think we are moving in to a more positive era for policing in Lancashire.”

Mr Roach did not attend the count.