PENDLE MP Gordon Prentice quintupled his majority in the general election.

He romped home with a majority of 10,824, the largest ever in the Pendle seat and in the former Nelson and Colne constituency. His 25,059 votes represented 53.28 per cent of the poll.

His majority in 1992 was 2,113.

Mr Prentice admitted he was staggered at the scale of the win.

He said: "The election was a watershed for the nation. The political landscape has been transformed beyond all recognition.

"People are expecting big things from this new Labour government, and we shall be working night and day to deliver.

"The next five years will be exiting and memorable as well roll up our sleeves and get to work. There is so much to be done."

The full result was as follows - Gordon Prentice (Lab) 25,059; John Midgley (Con) 14,235; Tony Greaves (Lib Dem) 5,460; Damian Hockney (Referendum) 2,281.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.