ALL sides in the fight for the region's most keenly-contested seat admit that the result of today's election is now simply too close to call.

With campaigning in Durham City continuing right up to the moment polling stations close at 10pm, the gap between Labour and the Lib Dems appears to be closer than anyone anticipated when the election was called.

Labour is defending a majority of 13,400 in the city - a margin which looked comfortable only five weeks ago, but appears to have gradually been whittled down.

Last night, Labour's candidate Roberta Blackman- Woods remained confident of victory - but admitted for the first time her party was now in a genuine contest.

Yesterday, she was joined by Government Chief Whip Hilary Armstrong, campaigning for votes in the village of Ushaw Moor - one of the former pit villages surrounding the city which may well hold Labour's fate.

Ms Blackman-Woods said: "It has been a really hard- fought campaign, but I think Labour has taken its message into every single community and we will be standing on our record in government.

"We have had a lot of support on the doorstep from people who say they don't want a Lib Dem MP in Durham delivering a Tory Government in London.

"I think it could be a very close run thing if we don't get our vote out, but if Labour supporters come out to vote and concentrate on what Labour has achieved in Durham then I think we will be home and dry."

Meanwhile, her chief opponent, Carol Woods, was campaigning in Framwellgate Moor, delivering final election leaflets to every household in the constituency.

The Liberal Democrats have had high hopes for Durham after sweeping to power in the city council elections of 2003 and maintaining their vote in recent European and by-elections.

While they admit the size of Labour's majority gives them a mountain to climb, they also claim to have detected a surge in their canvass returns in recent days, which puts them on course for a shock victory.

Ms Woods said: "We are confident - we think there is a very good chance we can win here.

"We are going to be working right up until 10 o'clock. There is a really good buzz here and we have had supporters coming to help out from right across the North because we are in with a chance."

The campaign has been further enlivened by Tory candidate Ben Rogers, a human rights activist and pro-life campaigner who appears to be attracting votes from unexpected quarters.

Last night, as he continued to canvass for votes among the sizeable student vote in the university, Mr Rogers said: "I don't accept its a two-horse race. The optimist in me would like to think I can win, but we will see what happens.

"The Lib Dems' key card has been tactical voting and I know some Conservatives who have said they are voting Lib Dem for those reasons, but not as many as I thought."

The last time Labour failed to win Durham City was in 1931. Whether the party's 70-year reign continues may depend on something as simple as today's weather - the conventional wisdom appears to be that sun will bring Labour's traditional supporters out in droves.

This morning, Labour and Lib Dems will both be looking to the heavens.