Kent Police consider allegation of electoral fraud in Thanet South seat contested by Nigel Farage

Farage was beaten by Conservative candidate Craig Mackinlay

The new Conservative MP Craig Mackinlay (right) after winning the South Thanet seat, beside defeated rivals Nigel Farage and the comedian Al Murray (AP)

Kent Police are investigating a report of electoral fraud in the Thanet South seat where the Ukip leader Nigel Farage failed to be elected.

A spokesperson for Kent Police said: "Kent police have received a report of electoral fraud. Enquiries are on-going."

Ukip supporters used the hashtag #thanetrigged to voice their suspicions when the results were announced after a long delay at Margate's Winter Gardens, with the hashtag briefly trending on Twitter.

Farage resigned as head of the party after losing out to Mackinlay but later announced he would stay on at the helm when his resignation was “unanimously rejected” by Ukip’s National Executive Committee.

Ukip's chairman Steve Crowther said he was kept on as leader partly due to the Conservative party announcing it was to push forward with plans to hold a referendum on Britain’s EU membership after winning a majority in the election.