A petition demanding a second referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union has reached 3 million signatures.

Thursday’s referendum saw a 72% turnout of 17.4 million people, with 52% voting to leave the EU against 48% voting to remain.

The petition calls for the government to annul the vote if the remain or leave vote was less than 60% from a turnout of less than 75%. It has now reached over 3 million signatures.

It has emerged the petition was started by William Oliver Healey, an English Democrats activist and Leave campaigner, who was concerned the Remain camp would win.

He has published a Facebook post in which he describes the petition as being "hijacked", and as Leave won the election, he now describes it as the "will of the British People".

Government petitions which reach over 100,000 signatures must be considered for debate in parliament.

Meanwhile, senior Labour MPs have called for action to prevent a Brexit from going ahead.

Brexit - Some Leave voters are regretting their vote

Tottenham MP David Lammy said: “Wake up. We do not have to do this. We can stop this madness and bring this nightmare to an end through a vote in parliament. Our sovereign parliament needs to now vote on whether we should exit the EU.

“The referendum was an advisory, non-binding referendum. The leave campaign’s platform has already unravelled and some people wish they hadn’t voted to leave. Parliament now needs to decide whether we should go forward with Brexit and there should be a vote in parliament next week.”

Brexit reactions – in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Brexit reactions – in pictures Brexit reactions – in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign look at their phones after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall AP Brexit reactions – in pictures Leave supporters cheer results at a Leave.eu party after polling stations closed in the Referendum on the European Union in London Reuters Brexit reactions – in pictures Mr Cameron announces his resignation to supporters Getty Brexit reactions – in pictures Donald Tusk proposes that the 27 remaining EU member states ‘start a wider reflection on the future of our union’ Getty Brexit reactions – in pictures Ukip leader Nigel Farage greets his supporters on College Green in Westminster, after Britain voted to leave the European Union PA Brexit reactions – in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as referendum results are announced today Getty Brexit reactions – in pictures Boris Johnson leaves his home today to discover a crowd of waiting journalists and police officers Getty Brexit reactions – in pictures Leave EU supporters celebrate as they watch the British EU Referendum results being televised at Millbank Tower in London Rex Brexit reactions – in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as results of the EU referendum are announced at the Royal Festival Hall Reuters Brexit reactions – in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign react after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall PA

But experts have said the petition is unlikely to make any difference, despite the huge number of people signing it. Speaking to the Press Association, elections expert Professor John Curtice, said: “It's no good people signing the petition now, they should have done it before. Even then, these petitions don't always mean a great deal.