Conservative candidate Mark Garnier has paid a heartfelt thanks to his wife after revealing she is recovering from an operation. 

Mr Garnier managed to hold onto his seat in Wyre Forest overnight as Labour won the general election. 

In his victory speech, he paid tribute to his wife Caroline who he called his "absolute rock". 

He said: "I do want to thank more than anybody else my wife Caroline, who during the course of this campaign found herself diagnosed with a condition which needed medical treatment and is recovering now from an operation she had on Tuesday.

"She’s been an absolute rock."

Mr Garnier now has a reduced majority of 812 after receiving 14,489 votes in Thursday’s election (July 4).

Labour candidate Vicki Smith received 13,677 votes. Mr Garnier’s majority was previously 21,413 following the 2019 general election. 

He added: "This is a fantastic victory for us, although I do completely understand that people are angry with my party.

"But that doesn’t stop my resolve to work incredibly hard for Wyre Forest."

Reform candidate Bill Hopkins received 9,682 votes, Shazu Miah of the Lib Dems received 2,809 votes, Green Party candidate John Davis received 2,443 votes, Independent candidate Leigh Whitehouse received 1,535 votes and Independent candidate Nigel Geary received 523 votes.

The turnout in Wyre Forest was 58.57 per cent.