Like the election as a whole, yesterday was a day of mixed fortunes for the Conservatives.

Like the election as a whole, yesterday was a day of mixed fortunes for the Conservatives.

While former leader David McLetchie retained Edinburgh Pentlands with an increased majority, the party failed to regain Eastwood from Labour.

The high point of the election for the Tories was John Lamont's unexpected victory in Roxburgh and Berwickshire, where he beat the Liberal Democrat Euan Robson, the former Deputy Education Minister.

Alex Fergusson's victory in Galloway and Upper Nithsdale, which was the SNP's No 1 target, also hinted that it could have been a breakthrough night for the Conservatives.

Overall, however, the party's share of the vote remained largely unchanged from 2003 and the total number of seats it has at Holyrood fell by one to 17 - the lowest yet Conservative total.

Mr McLetchie, who seized the Pentlands seat from Labour four years ago, saw his majority more than double to 4525.

He said he was "delighted" to have been returned by his constituents.

"We have increased our share of the vote, increased the number of votes compared with 2003 and we've more than doubled the constituency majority in Edinburgh Pentlands.

"It's been a terrific victory for us in this constituency and I couldn't be happier."

In the Lothians, Mr McLetchie was joined by Gavin Brown, who secured a seat on the regional list.

Around the same time that Mr McLetchie was being returned, John Scott was being declared the winner in Ayr. He defeated his Labour rival, John Duncan and, like Mr McLetchie, more than doubled his majority in the process.

The remainder of the Tories' seats came from the regional top-up lists. Derek Brownlee was returned to Holyrood in Scotland South, while Mary Scanlon and Jamie McGrigor were re-elected in the Highlands and Islands.

Annabel Goldie, the party leader, was joined by Jackson Carlaw in being elected from the West of Scotland list.

They were joined by Alex Johnstone and Nanette Milne in North East Scotland; Murdo Fraser, Liz Smith and Ted Brocklebank from Mid-Scotland and Fife; Margaret Mitchell in Central; and Bill Aitken in Glasgow.