​By Ian Austen and Aline Nassif

Live from the Croydon election count

Incumbent MP Andrew Pelling appears to have secured less than 2,000 votes in his bid to retain his Croydon Central seat.

Tory candidate Gavin Barwell has told the Croydon Advertiser he is "encouraged" but "not complacent" about winning the seat.

He now seems to be the hot favourite to take the seat, due to Mr Pelling's share of the vote being so low.

Before the election Mr Pelling claimed the seat was a two-horse race between him and Labour's Gerry Ryan.

But it appears many of the constituents who voted for him at the last election when he stood as a Tory have deserted him now he is standing as an Independent.

Speaking tonight from the scene of the count, where a result is expected between 3.30am and 4am, Mr Barwell said: "It looks like the result is very encouraging but I'm not being complacent.

"Had the Pelling vote been stronger it would have been more difficult.

"Andrew Pelling is a very good MP but that doesn't mean people vote for him in a general election because they are voting for who they want to govern the country."