EU referendum result: Dudley votes LEAVE in final West Midlands count

The strong Leave contingent cheered with delight at the announcement of the result, which completed a clean sweep for Brexit on the Express & Star's patches.

The district, which leans narrowly towards Labour, declared the results at 5am this morning with 118,446 voting to quit the union (67.6 per cent) and 56,780 voting Remain (32.4 per cent). It was widely expected that the district would vote to quit the union.

• More: Live coverage from the local counts in the West Midlands

• More: The national picture as Brexit surges to victory

Turnout was high, with 175,333 people voting - 71.7 per cent of the total electorate.

A delighted Mike Wood, MP for Dudley South, said: "We now have a great opportunity to build up new relationships and trading agreements around the world, free from the shackles of the EU.

"We can establish ourselves as a free and prosperous nation.

"It is now time to make sure we negotiate the very best deal to enable us to trade with the remaining members of the EU."

Ian Austin, MP for Dudley North added: "I thought there were strong arguments on both sides but it's my job to represent people in Dudley whether they voted to leave or remain, and I'll be working hard to listen to them and come up with fair and reasonable answers on the concerns we've heard during the campaign on issues like immigration and how we bring new investment, new industries and more jobs to areas like the Black Country."

Polls closed at 10pm with the first ballot boxes arriving at the Crystal Leisure Centre in Stourbridge shortly after.

Counters were kept waiting from 1.15am, when the verification on site finished, until after 2.30am, when the go ahead was received from Birmingham for the proper count to begin. Heads were in hands and on tables as people were kept waiting, and sarcastic cheers filled the air when returning officer Sarah Norman finally announced that counting could begin.

The result was clear from the start as the ballot papers started to build up in favour of Brexit.

A handful of councillors and party agents were present at the count during nervy scenes, mostly backing Brexit, while a small but loyal group of Remainers were also in attendance.

Brexit backers were confident of their victory in Dudley from the start of the night, but gathered around smart phones and tablets to keep an eye on developments up and down the country, in the knowledge that they wouldn't have it all their own way across the country.

Margo James, MP for Stourbridge and a staunch remainer, said: "This is the single biggest disappointment since I started my career in politics.

"I think people underestimate the role the European Union has played in preventing conflict between formerly warring nation states. My father fought in the Second World War. I am very proud that my parents, between them, sacrificed nearly four of the best years of their life for the freedoms we enjoy today. As well as bringing peace and security the EU served as a beacon of hope to the millions of people trapped behind the iron curtain during the cold war. Britain played an important role in the process of enlargement that led to Poland and the rest of Eastern Europe joining the EU twelve years ago.

"Despite all its problems, which are manifold, the EU still carries a torch for freedom across the world. I think that Britain's place is within the EU, playing an active role in trying to resolve some of the threats which face us all. I am absolutely convinced that it is better to work with other countries on more than an ad hoc basis.

"There are wider obligations I believe we have as a country to our European neighbours."