There were also 13 UKUP candidates - who include the party leader standing in six different constituencies - 13 Green Party, nine Conservative and six Workers Party candidates.

BBC: NEWS | UK | Northern Ireland | Leaders returned in assembly poll

Alliance Party leader Sean Neeson fared particularly badly and another big loser is UKUP candidate Bob McCartney whose tally of first preferences is likely to fall short of his 70, 000 prediction.

BBC: Paisley tops poll in NI

The UUP candidate gained over 40, 000 transfers when the votes of David Ervine of the PUP, the UKUP's Bob McCartney, Sean Neeson of the Alliance and James Anderson, the Natural Law candidate, were re-distributed.

BBC: Paisley tops poll in NI