BRACKNELL Forest backed the vote to leave the European Union in yesterday's historic referendum.

In a tightly-run contest, the vote for Brexit trumped the vote for remain in the borough by more than 5,000 votes with a solid 76.1 per cent of those eligible turning out to vote.

There were 35,002 votes case in favour of leaving the EU against 29,888 votes cast in favour of remaining with just 32 spoiled ballots.

The results were announced at around 2.30am this morning (Friday) by the returning officer for Bracknell, Timothy Wheadon, to cheers from the Bracknell Brexit campaign.

Earlier in the evening the group leader, Justin Bellhouse, said the success of the leave vote was, "A vote against the establishment. It's not just a vote against the EU, it's a vote against David Cameron, people are sick of him".

Bracknell was ranked as the third most Eurosceptic county in the UK when the referendum was first announced four months ago.

Gareth Barnard, the executive member for children and young people at Bracknell Forest Council, said he had supported the remain vote but hoped government and the EU sat up to take note of the close-run contest.

He said: "I think a lot of the results have met many people's expectations.

"Bracknell has voted the way Bracknell wants and we need to work out what that means.

"I think the important thing is the government takes it seriously and I think European Union needs to reflect on what people are saying and what it means."

Bracknell's vote to leave came despite pleas from the area's MP Dr Phillip Lee coming out to support the remain vote in early June.

Bracknell Forest Council's only Labour councillor Mary Temperton, of Great Hollands ward, had said it was the "most nervous" she had been for any election.

Follow our Facebook and Twitter pages for more updates and reaction to the vote throughout today.