CLACTON MP Douglas Carswell says 'where Tendring led Britain has followed' after the country voted to leave the European Union. 

The EU Referendum count for the district took place in Clacton, which is represented by the country's only UKIP MP.

A total of 57,447 (69.5%) voters in the district voted to leave and 25,210 (30.5%) voted to remain.

The turnout in Tendring was 82,725, 74.4% of the electorate.

Clacton's UKIP MP Douglas Carswell said: "I'm really pleased. Where Tendring led, Britain has followed.

"We achieved this referendum because people were prepared to back me when I resigned as a Conservative.

"Things now need to change. We need to take back control and we are going to do that.

"Westminster should answer to Essex folk, not the other way around."

He added: "We have had a really good, positive campaign in Tendring.

"It has been civilized and I have a lot of respect for people on the Remain side.

"When I decided to resign as a Conservative MP two years ago it was to push an EU referendum on to the agenda.

"It is the fundamental reason I am in politics - and tonight it looks as if a large number of my constituents agree with me and there's a slender chance the country will agree.

"There's been a few gripes about me not being at the count in Clacton, but I've been running a national campaign for six months and been focused on that as well as my constituency duties."

Former Harwich Labour MP and Remain campaigner Ivan Henderson said he had expected the result in Tendring to be 70% in favour of leaving the EU.

He said: "Labour has run a very positive campaign and has put forward the case for remain in terms of standing up for jobs and workers’ rights and the NHS.

"The Conservatives have been divided and only interested with their own internal leadership battles and has run negative campaign.

"We must all respect the outcome and come together to heal divisions."

UKIP councillor John Brown, who fronted the Vote Leave campaign in Harwich, said he was pleased with the Leave campaign's efforts in Tendring.

"The response we saw at polling stations was excellent," he said.

"Tendring was always going to vote out.

"But we are not happy with UKIP MP Douglas Carswell, who despite being MP for Clacton has campaigned little in Tendring.

"We're not happy that he is not at the election count in Clacton either."

The result for Tendring was announced at Clacton Leisure Centre shortly before 4am on Friday.