PLAID Cymru lost two of their Gwent AMs last night - five across Wales - with Labour and the Conservatives gaining one each.

The first Plaid seat to go was in Islwyn where Brian Hancock (pictured) lost out in a massive swing to Labour's Irene James.

Mr Hancock said: 'I find it a little bit disconcerting after the hard work I have done that the people of Islwyn have reverted to type and reverted to the Labour machine.'

The Party of Wales also lost one of their South Wales East regional seats. This was taken up by the Tories' youngest candidate, Laura Anne Jones.

Ms Jones thanked David Davies for getting 'an outstanding majority' in Monmouth and every other Conservative South Wales East candidate who worked to get her a regional seat.

She said: 'I'm very pleased as you can imagine. I hope I don't let you down.' Fellow Tory William Graham, who retained his South Wales East seat, said it was a 'first rate result' for his party to win two regional seats.

And Liberal Democrat Mike German, who also retained his regional seat, said the vote showed being in a coalition government with Labour had done them no harm. 'We are now on course for doubling our representation of Wales in the the House of Commons in the next general election,' he said.

The remaining South Wales East seat went to Plaid Cymru's Jocelyn Davies who did not attend the count.