Hundreds of people may have missed out on voting in this year's council elections because of pilot schemes requiring them to prove their identity.

The Electoral Commission said the trial project saw 2,083 voters refused a ballot paper because they weren't carrying the necessary ID, with up to 758 of them not returning to cast their vote.

Broxtowe, Derby and North West Leicestershire were three of the 10 areas involved in the pilot.

Craig Westwood, director of communications, policy and research for the Electoral Commission, said "nearly everyone" in the pilot areas was able to vote and showed the correct ID "without difficulty", but said government needs to "consider carefully the available evidence about the impact of different approaches".

Alamy Copyright: Alamy