Official figures show a third of North East voters have returned their ballots

People who have not posted their votes have until 2200 GMT on Thursday to hand them in to special collection points at their local town halls.

So far over a third of the region's 1.9 million voters have returned their ballot packs in the all-postal vote.

It is expected the result will be announced around midnight, once all the votes have been counted.

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"Yes" campaigners argue the assembly would give a voice to regions distant from Westminster and return power to local people from the non-elected bodies that oversee many services.

But anti-regional assembly campaigners say an assembly would be an expensive talking shop with very little real power.

If voters say "yes" to the assembly, a final version of the regional assemblies Bill will be laid before MPs.

That will then be debated in the normal way before assemblies can be set up.