LABOUR'S hold on Redditch was left severely bruised this morning after Jacqui Smith's majority was slashed to just 2,484.

Ms Smith, a schools minister in the last Government, was returned with 16,899 votes while Tory rival Karen Lumley polled 14,415.

In 1997, Ms Smith won the seat with a majority of 6,125.

The other candidates were Liberal Democrat Mike Ashall (3,808), George Flynn of the UK Independence Party (1,259) and the Green Party's Richard Armstrong (651).

Voter turnout was just 60 per cent, down 15 per cent on 1997, and followed the national trend.

Ms Smith said she had always known Redditch would be a close fought battle and expressed little surprise at the result.

"The Conservatives believed they could win this seat but I am delighted the people of Redditch have re-elected me," she said.

Ms Smith acknowledged the controversial Redditch Review schools shake-up and the issue of education funding in Worcestershire may have played a part in the result.

But Mrs Lumley was adamant she would fight back.

"Let's not forget Labour have returned with a hugely reduced majority," she said.

"We'll be here to do it again in four years."