THE first ballot packs returned by thousands of voters across the North-East were opened prior to counting in European and local elections yesterday.

Trained staff are beginning to sort through the first of three batches of ballot packs returned in the all-postal vote.

Many of the packs double as ballot papers in local elections, also taking place on Thursday.

Despite printing problems delaying delivery of the ballot packs in four council areas on Tyneside, all were passed to the Royal Mail by the deadline earlier this week.

The Royal Mail reported that 298,382 completed packs were already returned through the post by yesterday afternoon -15.7 per cent of the total issued.

All the packs received at the regional counting venue, at Sunderland's Crowtree Leisure Centre, have already had the barcode on the outside of the larger return envelope scanned, so receipt of the vote is recorded against the electoral register to determine the number so far received.

The unopened ballot packs, delivered at Sunderland Civic Centre, are being transferred to the nearby leisure centre for opening and sorting prior to the official counts on Thursday for the city council, and Sunday, June 13, for the North-East seats in the European election.

Regional returning officer Ged Fitzgerald said: "This is the first chance to see the postal voting process in action, with the first of the ballot packs being opened.

"It is heartening to see just a fantastic response to the elections."

Mr Fitzgerald will announce the winning candidates at about 9pm on Sunday, June 13.

* See The Northern Echo for full coverage in the build-up to the election and results after the vote is announced.