Two capsules found in ballot box at count in Herne Bay

by Joe Walker

Fears for the safety of vote counters were sparked this morning after two mystery vials of liquid were discovered in a ballot box.

The orange capsules were found by people counting votes for the Whitstable division at the Kings Hall in Herne Bay.

The vials were wrapped in ballot papers and were taken away by police for testing.

Counters were given rubber gloves as a precaution.

City council chief executive and acting returning officer Colin Carmichael said: "You may have noticed a flurry of activity by the Whitstable counting area.

"That's because two small vials of liquid were found in a ballot box.

"They were not broken and for all we know it may have just been orange juice.

"Our main consideration is for the safety of the counters and they will be given rubber gloves."

Police arrive at the count at the Kings Hall in Herne Bay

The discovery proved to be

Tories Graham Gibbens, John Simmonds, Michael Northey and Alan Marsh all held their seats in Canterbury and Sturry, with an impressive UKIP following denting the performance of the Lib Dems.

Only Martin Vye bucked the trend for the Lib Dems, comfortably keeping his seat in Canterbury City South West.

UKIP pushed the Tories hard in Whitstable, cutting a huge hole in the Conservative majority, but Mark Dance and Mike Harrison held on.

But there was a shock in Herne Bay, where UKIP's Brian Macdowall and Nicholas Bond ousted Tories Jean Law and David Hirst.

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THE RESULTS

CANTERBURY CITY NORTH EAST
Graham Gibbens (Con) 1,207
Mike Bland (Lab) 768
Jim Gascoyne (UKIP) 384
Martin Ashton (Lib) 234
Russell Page (Grn)213
Majority: 434 (Con hold - up 5)

CANTERBURY CITY SOUTH WEST
Martin Vye (Lib Dem) 1,555
Jeremy Bellamy (Con) 563
David Perry (UKIP) 562
Howard Rowles (Lab) 529
Jo Kidd (Grn) 439
Majority: 992 (Lib Dem hold - down 16)

CANTERBURY SOUTH EAST
Michael Northey (Con) 1,385
Michael Sole (Lib Dem) 1,181
Oliver Kent (UKIP) 795
Jean Butcher (Lab) 549
Emily Shirley (Grn) 294
Majority: 204 (Con hold - down 450)

CANTERBURY WEST
John Simmonds (Con)1,067
David De Boick (UKIP) 633
Carol Goldstein (Lab) 496
Dan Smith (Lib Dem) 383
Steel Horton (Grn) 236
Majority: 434 (Con hold - down 697)

HERNE AND STURRY
Alan Marsh (Con)* 1,452
Sarah Larkins (UKIP) 1,086
Alan Holden (Lab) 590
Elisa De Vert (Grn) 217
Nigel Whitburn (Lib Dem) 169
Majority: 366 (Con hold - down 622)

HERNE BAY
Brian Macdowall (UKIP) 2,054
Nicholas Bond (UKIP) 2,048
Jean Law (Con) 1,817
David Hirst (Con) 1,724
Lynn Faux-Bowyer (Lab) 1,003
Tom Mellish (Lab) 948
Steve Coombes (Ind) 509
John Moore (Ind) 484
Margaret Flaherty (Lib Dem) 434
Stanley Truelove (Ind) 362
June Raybaud (Lib Dem) 308
Michael Coppin (Green) 202
Elaine Godden (Green) 204

Mike Tibby (NEPCfE) 193
Nathan King (NEPCfE) 119

WHITSTABLE
Mark Dance (Con)* 2,732
Mike Harrison (Con)* 2,666
Mike Bull (UKIP) 2, 476
Howard Farmer (UKIP) 2,435
Jonathan Dearth (Lib Dem) 529
Kevin McNamara (Lib Dem) 344
Pat Marsh (Grn) 566
Jolyon Trimingham (Grn) 600
Christopher Cornell (Lab) 1,813
Rita O’Brien (Lab) 1,781