Candidates face nervous wait as first York and North Yorkshire Mayoral election count gets under way

In the sports hall at Northallerton’s leisure centre, one of four count centres being used for the election, some 120 counters began verifying ballot papers shortly after 9am in a process that was expected to take at least two hours before the counting of votes could get under way.

After ballot boxes were opened, representatives and agents for the six candidates, some of whom have spent weeks posting leaflets through electors’ doors, looked on closely as the counters sorted the papers.

The result from each of the centres, also including Scarborough, York and Harrogate, is expected to be declared after 2pm.