OF the 1.9 million people eligible to vote in the referendum, 338,650 have returned their ballots.

This means turnout is 17.8 per cent. Turnout in the Tees Valley is higher than average, but in parts of Northumberland, it is less than ten per cent.

After seven days of voting, the number of people who have voted in each council area are: Alnwick 3,401 (13.5%), Berwick 1,688 (7.9%), Blyth Valley 5,874 (9.2%), Castle Morpeth 5,305 (13.8%), Chester-le-Street 7,169 (16.7%), Darlington 17,970 (23.6%), Derwentside 11,796 (17.6%), Durham City 13,488 (19%), Easington 9,099 (12.9%), Gateshead 30,529 (21.2%), Hartlepool 16,044 (23.4%), Middlesbrough 17,650 (17.5%), Newcastle 29,981 (16.8%), North Tyneside 20,199 (14.4%), Redcar and Cleveland 28,214 (27.2%), Sedgefield 13,967 (20.4%), South Tyneside 16,140 (14.1%), Stockton 24,993 (18.8%), Sunderland 39,099 (18.7%), Teesdale 3,783 (19%), Tynedale 7,167 (15.1%), Wansbeck 5,635 (12.1%), Wear Valley 9,459 (19.5%).