EU referendum result: South Staffordshire votes LEAVE with record turnout

A fraught count took place with dozens of agents from UKIP and the Leave campaign hovering excitedly over the counting trays.

Agents from both sides were invited to examine doubtful votes a total of three times to determine whether they were for Remain or Leave.

The final result was revealed at around 4am with Leave gaining 43,248 of the votes (64.8 per cent) in comparison to Remain's 23,444 (35.2 per cent).

Turnout was confirmed as 77.8 per cent.

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

• More: The national picture as Brexit surges to victory

Chief counter for the night, chief executive of South Staffordshire district council, Steve Winterflood said: "This is the biggest turnout I think we've ever seen. Even in the General Election we only had around 46 per cent."

No queues were reported at polling stations and processing the votes went without a significant glitch.

However, the final result was delayed for around 45 minutes as a recount was ordered as one table was 'quite a way out' on its count.

Votes were dished back out by the handful as counters quickly got back to work checking and re-checking the number of votes in this closely fought debate.

A total of nine people were left working on ensuring the count on table seven was accurate as other staff anxiously awaited the outcome at around 3.35am.

A further 19 people double checked the count as Leave campaigners huddled around the table whilst votes were bagged and securely boxed.

Deputy returning officer for South Staffordshire council David Hayward said: "It's important that we are 100 per cent accurate so we'd all rather wait than rush.

"It's been steady all day so I'm very pleased as to how this has gone and impressed by the work of the people counting all the votes."

Vote Leave campaigners significantly outnumbered Remain on the night, with Arun Photay of Wolverhampton council remaining positive despite early indications of a majority vote to Leave.

Speaking during the count, Councillor Photay said: "Whatever the outcome, I'm just glad that so many people exercised their democratic right to cast their vote."

This sentiment was echoed in the Leave campaign, as Councillor Steve Hollis of Cheslyn Hay parish council said: "This has been a closely-fought battle from the beginning.

"What the turnout shows is how many people really care about this and the issues surrounding our involvement in the EU."

Reacting to the result, Councillor Alan Emery of Cheslyn Hay parish council said: "Common sense has finally prevailed."