STEVE Rotheram has been elected as the first Liverpool City Region metro mayor.

Counting took place at St Helens town hall of the borough's votes before they were carried forward to the main count in Liverpool. 

In St Helens the Labour candidate won the most votes with 15,643. 

The Conservatives came second in the borough with 8,293.

St Helens results: 

Labour: 15,643

Conservatives: 8,293

Liberal Democrats: 2,299

Green: 1,961

UKIP: 1,683

TUSC: 786

Women's Equality: 443

Get the Coppers off the Jury: 83 

The turnout of voters in St Helens for the vote has been confirmed as 22.9 per cent, with 31,462 ballots cast.

Overall city region results: 

Labour: 171,167

Conservative: 58,805

Liberal Democrats: 19,751

Greens: 14,094

UKIP: 11,946

TUSC: 7,881

Women's Equality: 4,287

Get the Coppers off the Jury: 729

St Helens residents joined Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton, Halton and Wirral in yesterday's vote.

Turnout for the region overall was 26.1 per cent. 

Halton's was 20.5 per cent, Knowsley 22.7 per cent, Liverpool 28.6 per cent, Sefton 26.9 per cent and Wirral 27.8 per cent.

In his victory speech, Mr Rotheram said: “The 1.5 million people in our area have spoken loud and clear in favour of a Labour metro mayor, they voted in favour of the bold manifesto, a Labour vision and a fresh start.

“This election campaign has been like no other. Politics is in a state of disarray in this country and too many policy ideas have progressed through what London and the South East needs and the policies that Whitehall set out too often reflect the needs of the South, ignoring the needs of areas like ours.

“The vast majority of people in the area have also sent a very clear message to Theresa May. Prime Minister you may say you can make this a country which works for all but how can it if you hit areas like ours the hardest with cuts.

“You actually claim to be the party of social justice. Sanctions, the bedroom tax and tax cuts for the rich there’s only one party for social justice and that’s the Labour Party.”

Walton MP Steve Rotheram was born in Knowsley in 1961 and has spent all of his adult life living in the constituency he represents.

A bricklayer by trade he set up his own company by the time he was 22.

Mr Rotheram became a Liverpool councillor in 2002 and served as Lord Mayor during the European Capital of Culture Year 2008-2009.

In 2010 he was elected as the MP for Walton and was re-elected in 2015.

The new city region mayoral role, a controversial concept in St Helens, was created out of the devolution deal between the government and the six local authorities.

The mayor, who will chair the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, will be able to exercise powers in areas including transport, strategic planning, training and skills.

Politicians in St Helens have expressed messages of congratulations to Mr Rotheram following the result.

Other candidates were Tony Caldeira, who stood for the Conservatives,  UKIP candidate was Paula Walters, while Carl Cashman stood for the Liberal Democrats and Tom Crone for the Greens.

Other candidates were Roger Bannister for the Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition, Tabitha Morton representing the Women's Equality Party and Paul Breen for Get the Coppers off the Jury.