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Voters have been calling for a re-run of the election in a marginal seat where a Ukip candidate was left off almost 100 ballot papers.

David Hodgson's name failed to appear on papers in one polling station in Darlington after a guillotine was set for the wrong size of paper.

But despite apologising to Mr Hodgson Darlington Borough Council is continuing the election as normal - prompting an outcry from Ukip.

The council has vowed to continue with the election even though it admits the result could be challenged in court.

However, it is thought that would be unlikely if Ukip loses by a wide margin.

A council spokesman said the mistake at Whessoe Parish Hall was only picked up at 10am, three hours after the polls opened today.

Follow live updates throughout polling day in our general election live blog

It happened because a guillotine was set for the size of the ballots in nearby Sedgefield - which has five candidates instead of the six in Darlington.

Because Mr Hodgson's name was last on the list, it got cut off.

Cath Whitehead, Acting Returning Officer for the General Election in Darlington said: "We would like to issue a sincere apology to David Hodgson, the UKIP candidate, and the 89 voters at Whessoe Parish Hall who placed their votes before the error on the ballot paper was spotted and rectified.

"This was due to our error.

"The decision has been made to continue with the election and the count as normal as we wish to maintain the individual’s rights to have the way they voted remain confidential.

(Image: PA)

"This would not be the case if we went through the ballot boxes and pulled out the 89 votes.

"The candidate and any electors have the right to challenge the outcome.”

"Approximately 89 ballot papers (0.1% of the total number of ballot papers printed) had been issued, but as soon as the issue was identified, corrected ballot papers were issued to the polling station concerned."

UKIP's North East Twitter account flagged voters to the issue by writing: "Warning - We are getting reports that UKIP has been left off some ballot papers in Darlington."

Labour's Jenny Chapman has a majority of just 3,400 over the Tories and the seat is 64th on the Conservatives' list of targets.

The Lib Dems also put up a strong showing in 2010 with 10,046 votes (23%) to the Tories' 13,503 and Labour's 16,891.

Ukip slammed the 'appalling failure' and condemned the council for offering 'no excuse, no apology'.

A party spokesman said it is considering what action to take.

Mr Hodgson said: "Whilst the error was rectified after a number of people contacted UKIP to complain that my name was not on the ballot paper. There are serious questions to answer at the Council.

"How can this have happened? Who is going to take responsibility?

"And what will be done to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again and no candidate ever finds themselves removed from the ballot paper in future.

"What is particularly galling is that Darlington Council is not prepared to take responsibility nor offer an apology".

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Many pundits have suggested the election could have to be rerun completely.

Others have accused Darlington Council of an anti-Ukip conspiracy.

Alisdair Bremner wrote on Twitter: "The Darlington ballot c**k up could be big news.

"Is there even time to get another ballot done before the Queens speech deadline?"

But a council spokesman tweeted: "The election has not been postponed in Darlington, please continue to vote as normal."

Local Tory and Labour representatives initially told Mirror Online they had not heard of there being any problem.