A retired doctor who caused one of the biggest upsets of the last general election by toppling a government minister has been re-elected to parliament.

Dr Richard Taylor, who stood as part of a campaign to save his local hospital from closure, held on to his seat in Wyre Forest with 18,739 votes, giving him a 5,250 majority ahead of Conservative candidate Mark Garnier.

Labour, which had won the seat in the 1997 election when David Lock romped home with a near 7,000 majority, finished in third place.

Dr Taylor, who stood on an Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern ticket, took a 39.9% share of the vote yesterday - nearly 20% down on his 2001 victory.

The retired rheumatologist originally swept to power after voters backed his campaign to save his local Kidderminster hospital from closure, unseating Mr Lock, who had gone on to become a government minister.

The full result was: Dr Richard Taylor, IKHHC, 18,739; Mark Garnier, Conservative, 13,489; Marc Bayliss, Labour, 10,716; Fran Oborski, Liberal, 2,666; Rustie Lee, UK Independence party, 1,074; Burt Priest, Official Monster Raving Loony party, 303.