Strangford: Shannon says campaigning paid off as he is returned- ‘I'm surprised anyone has any rubber left in their shoes’

The MP for the constituency since 2010 was nervous as he arrived at the count centre in Belfast in the early hours of Friday morning as he acknowledged boundary changes would likely shrink the majority of just over 7,000 votes he secured in 2019.

"It will undoubtedly make a difference... That can't be ignored," he told the Belfast Telegraph.

Mr Shannon was proven right, but he still managed to top the poll with 15,559 votes.

The committed Christian thanked "my Lord and Saviour" as he became emotional on the podium.

"And thank you to every person who put the X beside my name," he continued.

"I am humbled and I am energised by that.

"I did probably between 12,000 and 15,000 steps every day, my girls and staff told me they did between 21,000 and 22,000 - I'm surprised anyone has any rubber left in their shoes."

The Alliance Party has been growing support in Strangford and its candidate this time, Michelle Guy, came in second place with 10,428 votes - maintaining the success of Kellie Armstrong in 2019.

"We are grateful for everyone of those votes and we definitely don't take them for granted," Ms Guy said as she thanked her family and team for "keeping this red-head chilled".

"We ran a hugely positive campaign, it was inspiring to all of us.

"I know we are going to keep doing that work and keep moving forward in Strangford."

TUV deputy leader and local councillor Ron McDowell secured 3,143 votes, but it wasn't enough to hurt Mr Shannon.

Thousands of nationalists from the Downpatrick area are now among the electorate in the reshaped constituency which has seen unionist areas removed.

The MP, who has been returned to Westminster for a fifth time, warned about the dangers of dividing unionism and echoed much of what his party leader had said moments earlier.

Gavin Robinson, who held his East Belfast seat, said "everyone saw the consequences of divided unionism" in the last Assembly election and again now in Westminster as he called for greater cohesion between unionist parties.