ELECTION 2017: Menzies looking to hold Fylde

Counting was quickly under way at Fylde, with 55 ballot boxes swifty delivered from across the borough to the counting centre in Lytham and an early hope of a result announcement by around 3am.
The General Election is on June 8.The General Election is on June 8.
The General Election is on June 8.

Conservative Mark Menzies is defending a majority of 13,224 from 2015 but Labour’s Jed Sullivan is hopeful of making further inroads after finishing second two years ago.

Mr Menzies wouldn’t be drawn on his feelings over how the result would go but said: “It has been a hard six weeks of campaigning and I am grateful to everyone who has voted for me.”

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The constituency features a four-way fight, also involving Freddie Van Mierlo of the Liberal Democrats and Tina Rothery of the Green Party, who has been campaigning on an anti-fracking ticket.

Fracking is one of the key issues locally, with shale gas firm Cuadrilla’s exploration work on a site at Preston New Road, Westby attracting daily protests amind huge controversery,

Van Mierlo finished fifth of seven candidates last time out, while the Greens were sixth.

Security measures at the count were tight, with armed police on duty.