In 1645, the stronghold of Caerphilly's famous medieval castle was besieged and captured by the forces of Oliver Cromwell.

And as the polls closed at 10pm after a bruising by-election battle, the Labour stronghold of Caerphilly was in grave danger of being captured by the forces of Nigel Farage and Reform UK in 2025.

Famous for the three Cs of coal, cheese and its castle, Caerphilly has been represented at Westminster by Labour MPs for more than a century and in Cardiff since 1999, when the Welsh Assembly was created.

That's about to change. Labour's vote - once as impregnable as the castle - has crumbled like Caerphilly cheese, and the Tories, Lib Dems and Green Party are nowhere.

Image: Pic PA

But Reform's UK hopes of a famous victory in Caerphilly could be dashed by another polit

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