Alabama bar erupts in celebration after Roy Moore's election defeat

Video shows party atmosphere as voters reject controversial Republican candidate in favour of state's first Democratic senator in 25 years

Footage of an Alabama bar erupting into celebration at the news Republican candidate Roy Moore had lost the state’s Senate race has gone viral.

Video shared posted via Twitter on Wednesday shows dozens of people cheering as they hear news Mr Moore’s Democratic Party rival Doug Jones is projected to win the special election.

Voters are seen embracing each other and throwing their hands in the air upon hearing the predicted result.

Mr Moore, 70, has refused to accept defeat despite his opponent’s 1.5 per cent margin of victory – triple the 0.5 per cent lead required in Alabama to avoid a recount.

The former judge’s campaign was also dogged by controversy, including allegations he abused an assaulted women and girls some 40 years ago while serving as a local prosecutor.

Mr Moore has denied the accusations, dismissing them as an attempt by critics to undermine him.

The Alabama Republican Party has urged its supporters to accept the result.

In a statement, local party chairman Terry Lathan, said: “While we are deeply disappointed in the extremely close U.S. Senate election results, with our candidate Judge Roy Moore, we respect the voting process given to us by our Founding Fathers.”

Mr Moore's defeat to Mr Jones, who while working as an attorney famously prosecuted two former Ku Klux Klan members who bombed a black church and killed four young girls, has also a blow to President Donald Trump.

Mr Trump had thrown his weight behind the Republican’s campaign, urging people on Tuesday to back his chosen candidate.

Voters in Alabama instead elected the state’s first Democratic senator since 1992.