OKEHAMPTON railway station's bid to be voted the best UK railway station maintained by volunteers has come to an end after losing the semi final vote.

The online contest, the 'World Cup of Stations', operated by Rail Delivery Group, the body which represents UK railway operating companies, saw 48 stations selected with assistance from TV railway historian and presenter of the UKTV series 'The Architecture the Railways Built' and 'Secrets of the London Underground', Tim Dunn, pitted against each other to find the UK's most loved station.

In the first round, a regional heat, Okehampton defeated Liskeard, Penmere and Yatton to reach the semi finals.

It was in this round where Okehampton fell, although still came a convincing second.

In this round, it was pitted against the Italinate architecture of Denmark Hill (London), as well as Lowestoft and Bognor Regis.

Denmark Hill won the vote with 3,553 votes, with Okehampton achieving 2,086 votes while Lowestoft and Bognor Regis trailed a distant third and fourth respectively with 608 and 494 votes.

The result sees Denmark Hill reach the final, where it will go up against the historic Leamington Spa station (West Midlands) and the breathtaking Wemyss Bay (Scotland) to be crowned the overall winner.