Photographer Mike Swift managed to capture the excitement of the count for the historic general election in Reading. 

It was a historic night not only because the Labour Party won in a landslide, ending 14 years of the Conservatives being the largest party, but also because the political map of England had been redrawn. 

This was the first election where voters in Reading selected an MP for the newly formed Reading Central constituency. 

Once polling stations closed, the votes were brought to the Rivermead Leisure Centre for counting. 

Votes from the Abbey ward covering the town centre were brought in first. 

Early on, the count was mainly populated by Reading Borough Council staff, who administrated the election for the Reading Central constituency and party activists. 

Then, the election candidates started to file in, with Henry Wright for the Liberal Democrats being the first spotted.

Photographer Mr Swift was able to capture a curious moment between Mr Wright and Adam Gillman, the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition, who turned 18 in April, making him one of the youngest candidates in the country. 

Matt Rodda, the winning Labour candidate, was only spotted shortly before he was declared the victor.

Only votes for one constituency were counted at the new Rivermead Leisure Centre. 

Previously, the old leisure centre was the venue for counts for the abolished Reading East and Reading West constituencies. 

As a result of the lower workload, the declaration of Mr Rodda as the winner took place just after 2.15am on Friday, July 5.