It was a tense, bad-tempered debate, kicking off without the candidates shaking hands.

Social media, however, found one glimmer of light to cling on to: Kenneth Bone, an affable-looking man in glasses and a red jumper, who posed a concise and intelligent question to the candidates about energy policy.

"What steps," he asked, "will your energy policy take to meet our energy needs while at the same time remaining environmentally friendly and minimising job loss for fossil power plant workers?"

For some reason – possibly related to his appearance and his manner Mr Bone struck a chord with the viewing public.

Moments later, he was a bona fide viral phenomenon: