Progressive Labour Party candidate Neville Tyrrell stormed to a resounding victory in the Warwick South Central by-election last night.

Mr Tyrrell claimed 477 votes, against 103 for Robyn Swan of the One Bermuda Alliance and 12 for Independent candidate David W. Burch, as residents of Constituency 26 elected him to replace former Opposition leader Marc Bean in the House of Assembly.

It means the PLP convincingly increased its lead in one of its traditional strongholds, with Mr Tyrrell taking 79 per cent of the vote, up from the 64 per cent enjoyed by Mr Bean at the 2012 General Election.

The turnout was a comparatively healthy 52 per cent, with 597 of the 1,139 registered voters in the constituency taking part. By comparison, the Warwick South Central by-election won by Mr Bean in December 2010 had a turnout of 40 per cent.

Shortly after 10pm at St Mary’s Church, an emotionally overwhelmed Mr Tyrrell emerged to cheers from jubilant PLP supporters.

Declaring himself “almost speechless”, Mr Tyrrell told the media: “This is really a victory for the Progressive Labour Party. Not for Neville Tyrrell, for the Progressive Labour Party.

“We did our work. This is really an early Christmas present for me.”

David Burt, the PLP leader, told Mr Tyrrell the win had been a long time coming and was a testament to the new MP’s work.

“The message sent by the voters of Constituency 26 means they want a Government that listens to them,” he said.

Asked what would be his first order of business, Mr Tyrrell said he would be helping his wife prepare for Christmas.

He added that he had congratulated Mr Burch, and then hugged Ms Swan, who he said had “fought a good fight — it’s as simple as that”.

Conceding defeat, Ms Swan said: “I will continue to support the decriminalisation of marijuana, and support the party in any way I can.”

Michael Dunkley, the Premier, said: “I’m proud of this young lady. She stepped right into a very difficult constituency and she worked very hard.”

Mr Dunkley said the OBA had known it would be “an uphill battle” in a constituency that had been held by the Leader of the Opposition.

Asked if voters had sent the OBA a message with the night’s landslide, Mr Dunkley said: “People can read whatever they want into this election.”

He added: “We live in very difficult times and politics operates in very strange ways.”

Mr Tyrrell, a former Bermuda Football Association and PLP veteran, had unsuccessfully campaigned three times in the past; Ms Swan was a relative newcomer for the OBA, whose political stance is influenced by her eight years as a prison officer; and Mr Burch, a “grassroots” candidate, has a background as a music promoter who has persistently run as an independent without joy.

Throughout the day, Mr Tyrrell and Ms Swan had both been flanked by party colleagues.

Speaking in the morning, Mr Tyrrell said: “I have knocked on 85 per cent of doors and followed up with phone calls.

“People are hurting in this constituency and we have to help those people.”

Ms Swan said she had been impressed by the day’s turnout, adding: “People are exercising their democratic right. It’s a healthy thing.”

Mr Burch said he had no plans of quitting his long career as an independent, explaining: “I can’t stop. Until they stop with party politics, I’m in the game.”

The PLP noted it was its third by-election victory in two years, with Mr Burt pointing to the upcoming General Election.

“The people of this country are speaking loud and clear that they do not like the direction the OBA Government is taking,” he said.

“Bermuda has a government that does not listen to the people that put them in power. The only time the public get the chance to express themselves is at the ballot box, and tonight we have seen just that.”

• To see the PLP’s statement on Mr Tyrrell’s victory, click on the PDF under “Related Media”.