TURNOUT in yesterday's county council and European Parliament elections appears to have held up well in St Albans, despite fears it would plummet as cynicism about politics spreads.

Returning officer Mike Lovelady told the Review: “It looks like turnout will be around 40 per cent, perhaps as high as the 44 per cent recorded in the last local elections.

“Polling stations were quiet during the day, but then there was an evening surge – some even had queues.”

The counting has been held up by the need to “verify” that the number of ballot papers matches the voters recorded at pollong stations, and no results are likely before early afternoon.

Eleven rersults will be declared at the Alban Arena – ten county council divisions across St Albans and Harpenden and a district council by-election in Harpenden South, where Tory Paul Foster has stood down.

Votes for the European Parliament will be counted, and results announced, on Sunday.