ELECTORS across Northumberland have backed the UK’s exit from the European Union.

The result of the votes cast across the county were officially declared at 6am on Friday morning, with 54 per cent putting their cross against ‘Leave’, with 46 per cent in the ‘Remain’ camp.

The result, which showed support for exit greater than the 52 per cent UK average, followed counting at Blyth Leisure Centre overnight.

Northumberland is one of the largest council areas geographically in the country, which makes logistics challenging when organising elections and counts. Ballot boxes had to be brought from remote settlements such as Kielder, and isolated communities like Holy Island.

In Northumberland:

The total number of ballot papers counted was: 178,815.

The number of votes cast in favour of REMAIN was 82,022.

The number of votes cast in favour of LEAVE was 96,699.

The number of ballot papers rejected was 94.

The turnout was 74.4 per cent.