The last General Election result in Sussex was finally announced after a gruelling 15 hours of vote counting.

Laura Moffatt, the sitting MP for Crawley, fell to her knees and burst into tears as she was named the winning candidate after four counts.

Mrs Moffatt was voted in for her third term in office on one of the smallest majorities in the country - just 37 ahead of her closest rival, Conservative Henry Smith.

The result was one of the closest calls during the election night.

So small were the margins between the two main rivals that Mr Smith called for three re-counts after questioning the first count which found Mrs Moffatt, a former Crawley Hospital nurse, had a very narrow majority.

Three recounts later and a majority had been slashed from 79 votes after the first count to 31 votes after the second, The third count began at 4.40am on Friday.

Election officials decided to abandon the third count at 5am yesterday as doubts were cast over the aptitude of the counting team who were starting to give in to tiredness.

Acting returning officer Michael Coughlin sent the team home to return at noon and Mrs Moffatt was announced as the winner shortly after 2pm.

She said: "It's been the worst 15 hours of my life. We knew it was going to be tight. I want to pay tribute to Henry Smith and his campaign but in the end we got more votes.

"I want to hug every single one of those 37 voters."

Mrs Moffatt agreed with Tony Blair that Labour had some lessons to learn and said Crawley Hospital and travellers were two issues she would be concentrating on.

She said: "I am so grateful to have another chance to represent Crawley. There was a moment when I thought I might lose but when I was out and about on Thursday I had a good feeling from voters. It's an enormous relief.

Mrs Moffatt thanked the hard work of her campaign team before adding: "I want to thank everyone in Crawley and assure them that I am going to be a door stepping MP."

Her opponent Mr Smith said: "Naturally it is disappointing to lose by just 37 votes but I am delighted that we have achieved the highest Conservative swing in the country.

"I believe passionately in Crawley and it is where I am raising my children."

Liberal Democrat candidate Rupert Sheard said:

"I am pleased that it is one of the best results we have ever had in this constituency."

Elected: Laura Moffatt (L) 16,418.

Not elected: Henry Smith (C) 16,374; Rupert Sheard (LD): 6,503; Richard Trower (BNP) 1,277; Ron Walters (UKIP): 935; Robin Burnham (SOC): 263; Arshad Khan (JUSTICE) 210.

Turnout: 58.7 per cent.

Majority: 37.