A shock poll has revealed that Labour have a significant lead over incumbent Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen ahead of the election in May.

The poll, conducted by Censuswide, asked 1,000 people in the Tees Valley who they intended to vote for and just 19 per cent said Ben Houchen.

It did find that 38 per cent of respondents thought he had done a good job in his last two terms as mayor but that he may be on course to lose on May 2.

Just under half of respondents (45 per cent) said that they would be voting for Labour's candidate Chris McEwan.

In the last Tees Valley mayoral election in 2021, Lord Houchen won nearly 73 per cent of the vote and swept aside his opposition.

When asked if they could identify who their mayor was, just 33 per cent could correctly name Ben Houchen.

Lord Houchen said: “I’ll continue to work hard, fight for local people and deliver the jobs and investment our area sorely needs and deserves. 

“Local people can see the progress that’s being made, from our airport and freeport to the success of the Treasury locating a new office in Darlington.

"Our work over the past seven years has seen the employment rate in the region increase by 3.6 per cent, which compares with 0.1 per cent for the rest of the North East and 0.6 per cent nationally over the same period, it has seen the establishment of the UK’s first, largest and most successful freeport and it’s seen record investment in transport infrastructure. 

“I want to build a new hospital, get new flights for our airport and keep it flying. I want to continue creating good quality jobs for local people and keep securing record levels of investment. 

“Our plan is working and I hope I can continue to see the job through. I’ve never been a person who will leave things half done.”

A regional Labour spokesperson said: "Not a single vote has been cast yet to elect a Tees Valley Mayor.

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"Chris McEwan is taking nothing for granted and will be working hard for every single vote in this election, to give the people in the Tees Valley a mayor they can trust.

"The Tories have failed our country, the North and the Tees Valley, it's time for change."

The mayoral election will be held on May 2, on the same day as the mayoral elections in North Yorkshire and the North East.