HIGH-FLYING Hugh Bayley made it four in a row today as he roared to an emphatic election victory in York.

He swept home with a majority of more than 10,000 - and spoke of his pride at representing the "best city in Britain".

The jubilant Labour man admitted he was concerned he could lose the seat he has held since 1992, amid fears supporters might stay at home and punish the Government over Iraq and tuition fees.

But those proved unfounded as he secured 21,836 votes.

That was more than both his main Conservative and Liberal Democrat rivals managed between them.

Tory Clive Booth, who polled 11,364 compared to 11,293 his party got in 2001, cut a dejected figure as the ballot papers were counted at Oaklands School sports centre.

After the result he stood down and said it was "time for someone else to carry the torch in York".

Liberal Democrat Andrew Waller was hot on his heels with 10,166 votes.

Mr Bayley, whose majority fell from nearly 14,000 in 2001 when he polled 25,000 votes, told supporters: "We are all fortunate to live in the best city in Britain."

He said the result showed Labour retained the trust of York residents to run the economy, with 10,000 new jobs created in the city in the last eight years.

But his party had lost votes on Iraq - a policy he controversially supported - and would now have to think again on foreign policy.

Mr Bayley told the Evening Press he was worried he might not be elected for a fourth successive term. And he admitted his majority was higher than he expected.

"York is not a safe Labour seat and never will be," he added, hailing the Government's record on tax credits for working families, parents and pensioners.

Before heading off for celebration drinks with supporters, he said aims for the next four years would be to keep investing in public services and to cut pensioner and child poverty.

Downbeat Mr Booth praised his Labour rival and said the city had selected a "worthy MP".

Announcing his decision to step down as Conservative challenger, he added: "Someone else can co-ordinate our next campaign. We have younger legs keen to make their mark."

The turnout in York rose slightly from 59 per cent to nearly 62 per cent (46,687). More than 6,000 residents had their say by postal vote, compared to just over 2,000 in 2001.

But Mr Booth said he was "dismayed" by the turn-out.

"Making a choice between spending the weekend with loved ones or campaigning week in week out to be met with such apathy has made the choice easy," he added.

Mr Waller denied the Liberal Democrat campaign might have been hampered by voters responding to their time in charge of City of York Council.

He said he was pleased his share of the vote went up 1,500. And he added: "Since 1997 we have added 3,500 votes. Hugh Bayley has lost 13,000.

"We are pleased we have continued our progress. At this rate York will get a Liberal Democrat MP in the future."

A colourful election campaign saw eight people vying for the seat. The field included a candidate dressed as Guy Fawkes and another backed by two scantily-dressed nurses.

46,687 votes cast in York

ELECTION officials who organised the count in York today hailed it a great success.

A total of 67 polling stations across the city closed at 10pm yesterday.

Votes were tallied and the result done and dusted at Oaklands School sports centre just after 2am today.

City of York Council had 134 staff on duty at polling stations and 75 workers counting 46,687 votes.

The declaration time in 2001 was 1.40am, but officials said this year's count had gone smoothly, with just 76 rejected ballot papers.

This year's York vote marks the end of an era. A radical boundary review means that at the next general election city residents will elect two MPs - one for inner York and another for outer York.

Crazy, crazy night..

CRAZY candidates made the York election fight one of the most colourful in the UK.

The main parties gobbled up most of the votes, but Guy Fawkes helped put the spark into the city election trail.

Holding a giant match, actor Damian Fleck outlined his policies as invading France, re-colonising America and lowering the school leaving age to nine.

Asked whether voters had put him on the rack over his 17th century stance, the Dungeons, Deaths and Taxes candidate, said: "I was on there for 16 days once, nothing can be worse than that."

Four hundred years after the Gunpowder Plot, Mr Fawkes' election night hardly went with a bang. He polled a meagre 93 votes.

Independent Andrew Hinkles, also known as Milladio, drew plenty of laughs with his election team of naughty nurses, a spoof FBI agent, Mr Purple and a man wearing a coat bedecked with hundreds of badges.

:: City of York result

Hugh Bayley, (Labour) 21,836 (46.8%)

Clive Booth, (Conservative) 11,364 (24.4%)

Andrew Waller, (Lib Dem) 10,166 (21.8%)

Andy D'Agorne, (Green) 2,113 (4.5%)

Richard Jackson, (UKIP) 832 (1.8%)

Ken Curran, (Ind) 121 (0.3%)

Damian Fleck, (Dungeons, Death & Taxes) 93 (0.2%)

Andrew Hinkles, (Ind) 72 (0.15%)

Updated: 10:22 Friday, May 06, 2005