Across the country there have been signs of a higher than usual turnout, with many polling stations having to call in police to help disperse voters who were still queuing to vote after the polls closed at 10pm. In Hackney, a police spokesman described a

Across the country there have been signs of a higher than usual turnout, with many polling stations having to call in police to help disperse voters who were still queuing to vote after the polls closed at 10pm.

In Hackney, a police spokesman described a queue of more than 150 people who were unable to vote before their polling station at Triangle Road closed as: "Disappointed people." Some of those who wanted to vote and were unable to do so staged a short-lived sit-in protest.

Conservative mayoral candidate Andrew Boff said: "People were very angry."

Problems were also reported at polling stations in Ealing and Lewisham, and political commentators were speculating on the possibility of legal challenges if any of the affected constituencies result in close finishes.

There were also reports of some polling stations running out of ballot papers.

As farcical situations were reported across the country, police were called in at several locations and returning officers were being blamed for cutting back on the numbers of people counting votes.