Charles Kennedy has described himself as "delighted" by the election of two extra Liberal Democrat MEPs.

Although his party trailed in fourth place in terms of share of the vote, the Lib Dem leader insisted support for the UK Independence Party was an "aberration".

Speaking to the BBC, Kennedy pointed to gains in the North East and North West.

"Our national share of the vote has gone up - which is what we declared was our intention - and with that our national share of MEPs who will be returned as Liberal Democrats is up as well," he said.

"That is a satisfactory outcome."

Kennedy added that UKIP's strong showing would not be repeated in a Westminster general election, while his party was the only one of the three main parties to improve its position.

"We have a further confirmation that three-party politics in a UK sense is here to stay," he said.

Kennedy has also warned Labour that his party will be in a position to challenge it in its former heartlands.