UKIP leader Nigel Farage has warned David Cameron and Ed Miliband "we're after you" after the party claimed its first elected MP by winning 12,404 votes in the Clacton by-election.

Former Conservative MP Douglas Carswell won a landslide victory in Clacton, Essex, by securing 21,113 of the 35,386 votes cast.

He has won the Clacton by-election for Nigel Farage's party, a vote which was sparked by his defection from the Conservatives.

In a separate vote in in Greater Manchester, Labour retained its seat by beating Ukip by just 617 votes.

Mr Farage said: "What it shows is that UKIP is now a truly national party - indeed we are the only party that can challenge in solid Tory and Labour areas.

"I've no doubt this morning we'll hear, 'it's just a protest vote'. It's nothing of the kind. People from across the spectrum are saying. 'we've had enough of career politics'. They want to have a proper voice in Westminster.

"From today with Douglas Carswell they have got one, and in a few weeks time I believe they will have another in the shape of Mark Reckless, with another by-election coming up in Rochester and Strood.

"What we saw last night was the biggest and best night in UKIP's history.

"We will now take the people's army of UKIP to the Rochester and Strood, and we will give that absolutely everything we have got."