Campaigners for a North East regional assembly have tonight conceded defeat - "unless something dramatic happens".
Ross Forbes, director of yes4thenortheast told PA News in Sunderland, where the referendum result is set to be announced within the next hour, that from what he had heard things were looking bleak for the 'yes' campaign.
He told PA News: ''It looks at the moment that we are heading for defeat. Unless something dramatic happens that we don't know about it looks like it will be a defeat.''
The turnout for tonight's referendum had earlier topped 46% but no final figures have yet been given.
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