Winwick polling station sees voting under stairs at house

The polling station is set up in the hallway of the Old School House in Winwick

A woman has been preparing to turn her house into what she calls "probably the smallest polling station in the UK".

Voters in the village of Winwick in the Daventry constituency will find June Thomas sitting on a sofa in the hallway as they come to cast their ballots.

"They come in, vote and go out - that's it," she said.

About 70 voters are on the electoral roll in the Northamptonshire village, where her home, the Old School House in Church Road, is the polling station.

June Thomas sets up a table and voting booth in front of her hallway sofa

The Old School House has been used for voting since 1970

Mrs Thomas, the polling clerk, will have one helper and the pair will check people off the voters' list from the comfort of her corner sofa, rather than the more traditional village hall trestle table and wooden chairs.

She has already sent off her postal vote, but her husband Graham will vote in his own hallway.

'No riots'

The house has been the village's polling station since 1970 when the new owners of previous venue The Manor decided they no longer wanted to host voting there.

"It probably is the smallest polling station because it is just our hallway," Mrs Thomas said.

"It sounds quite parochial, but it is run exactly the same way as any other polling station would be run.

"We're advised to wear plain clothing - preferably navy or black with no colours pertaining to particular parties - and we've had no riots so far."

Other "peculiar" polling stations across the UK include a bus, a pub and a Buddhist centre, which is also in the Daventry constituency.