Conservative Tim Bowles becomes West of England's first regional Mayor

Mr Bowles achieved a total of 70,300 votes, while Labour's Lesley Mansell had 65,923 - a difference of just 4,377.

Boost for Theresa May as Labour suffers losses and UKIP crumbles at local polls

Counting included second-preference votes as no candidates achieved more than 50% in the first-preference round.

Mr Bowles is the first elected mayor for the authority and will gain new decision-making and spending powers.

Turnout in the election was 29.7%, with 199,519 people voting out of a possible 671,280.

Bristol saw a turnout of 31.1%. The turnout for the mayoral election in 2016, which saw Labour's Marvin Rees win, was 44.87%.

Mr Bowles, a businessman, will now have to work closely with Mr Rees, who achieved a majority of 29,173 when he was elected.

The West of England is one of six super-regions that will elect a metro mayor on May 5, with other areas including the West Midlands and Greater Manchester.

Other regions are expected to announce their winners in the afternoon.

Speaking after being crowned mayor, Mr Bowles said: "I am delighted to see the sun rising over Bristol and the West of England this morning.

"I would like to pay my very, very sincere thanks to Lesley and all of the other candidates.

"I think we have genuinely developed a really good rapport and friendship throughout the campaign.

"I believe we have become really good friends.

"From a personal perspective, I am honoured to be elected the first West of England regional mayor.

"It truly is an honour and I look forward to working on behalf of everyone in the region."

Ms Mansell described the narrow loss as "incredible", considering six of the nine constituencies that make up the West of England region are Conservative.

"This acts as a beacon of hope for the rest of the country," she said.

"We have shown that people are crying out for alternatives to austerity.

"During the course of the campaign I have seen what a united Labour Party can achieve."

Ms Mansell urged voters to back Labour candidates in the General Election.

"We have some great candidates," she said, adding that she was now returning to work for the NHS.

"I would like to wish them the best of luck in the campaign."

Voter turnout was 31.1% in Bristol, 30.52% in Bath and North East Somerset and 27.06% in South Gloucestershire.

Unlike a general election, the metro mayor results are calculated through the supplementary (SV) system.

In this system, there are two columns on the ballot for voters to select - one for their first choice and one for their second.

Former Liberal Democrat MP Stephen Williams, who lost his seat to Labour's Thangam Debbonaire in 2015, came third in the first-preference votes.

Mr Williams said he would now consider whether to stand for the Lib Dems his former Bristol West constituency.

"When I lost in 2015 I didn't intend to stand in Bristol West again," he said.

"But where we are at the moment it looks as if we have more of a chance of winning Bristol West back."

Mr Williams received 8,833 votes in Bristol West, compared with Ms Mansell's 11,590.

Mr Bowles, 57, will be officially sworn in as mayor during a ceremony at Bristol Engine Shed at 11am on Monday.

Mr Bowles pledged to work with the Conservative government to "make a success of Brexit for our economy".

He plans to reopen railway stations in the region and increase local services, as well as backing major transport infrastructure.

The experienced councillor has also promised to protect more green fields, instead building affordable homes on urban regeneration sites.