ANTHONY Stansfeld has been re-elected as Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Thames Valley Police, but it was a close call. 

The Conservative candidate, who has been elected for the second time, secured 53.96% of the vote in yesterday's election with 202,396 votes.

Labour's candidate Laetisia Carter came in second place with 172,717 votes, making up 46.04% of the vote. 

The ballots were verified at venues across the region last night and were declared in Abingdon in Oxfordshire this afternoon.

Mr Stansfeld was elected as the first PCC for the Thames Valley in 2012 when the overall turnout was 13.3%.

The total turnout for this year's election was 25.6% with around 430,000 votes being cast in the Thames Valley.

David Buckle, police area returning officer for the Thames Valley, said: “The turnout was much higher than 2012 when we first ran these elections, where it was just over 13% - so we’re grateful to those who took the time to vote.”

A turnout of 29.4% was registered in Slough, 25.6% in South Bucks and 17.2% in Windsor and Maidenhead.

To be elected as PCC, a candidate needs to gain 50% of the overall first preference votes to win outright. In this election no candidate secured 50% therefore the second preference votes were counted.

Liberal Democrat John Howson and UKIP's Lea Trainer were eliminated after the first round of votes.