NORTH Durham MP Kevan Jones retained his seat in last week's general election with a majority of 16,781 for Labour.

But the 41-year-old lost almost 2,000 votes to the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.

When he won the seat in 2001, his majority was 18,683.

An active Labour Party member since 1982, he secured 23,932 votes from people in Chester-le-Street and Stanley.

Liberal Democrat teacher Philip Latham, of Riding Mill, Northumberland, won 7,151 votes and Conservative candidate Mark Watson, of Chester-le-Street, got 6,258 votes.

Labour also held on to the City of Durham, albeit with a much reduced majority

Newly-elected MP Roberta Blackman Woods was 'absolutely delighted' with the result in which Labour kept the seat that the Liberal Democrats had made their top target in the North-East, but saw its majority slashed from 13,400 to just 3,274.

Labour's chief whip Hilary Armstrong held on to the Durham North-West seat with a majority of 13,443 votes.

The MP polled 21,312 votes, Liberal Democrat Alan Ord received 7,869 votes, Conservative Jamie Devlin won 6,463 votes and Independent Watts Stelling attracted 3,865 votes.