Sky News

Douglas Carswell, who is hoping to retain Clacton for UKIP, has told Sky News his party has made "an extraordinary leap forward," projecting three to four million votes for the party.

He said: "If it's the case UKIP gets four million votes and only a clutch of seats, that's more of a reflection on how dysfunctional our political system is rather than a reflection of UKIP's tactics."

Andrew Sinclair
Political correspondent, BBC East

The Conservatives have put a lot of effort into defending Waveney (majority 769) and Ipswich (2,079).

Their big policy offer was infrastructure: a promise to build new river crossings in Lowestoft and Ipswich and improve the A47 and the main rail line to Norwich. If they hold on to these seats it'll be largely because of these promises.

Nic Rigby
BBC News, East

It seems that the tea urn is in the clear in at the Norwich North and Broadland count.

A fire alarm was set off earlier, thought to have been started by the urn. Officials now think a broken alarm box was to blame.

Richard Haugh
BBC News

Ever wondered where supermarket trolleys spend election night?

Well now you know.

The count is under way in Bury St Edmunds, a seat won in 2010 by Conservative David Ruffley, who stood down last year.

BBC Radio Suffolk's Guy Campbell tweets, external: Lib Dem supporters at Waveney count tell @BBCSuffolk they fear their candidate will lose his deposit #SuffolkElects

Nic Rigby
BBC News, East

Here's one of our region's more picturesque polling stations.

The count for the marginal seat of Norwich South, won by the Lib Dems who unseated former Labour Home Secretary Charles Clarke in 2010, is taking place at the former Blackfriars church, St Andrews Hall, which dates back to the 15th Century.

Nic Rigby
BBC News, East

This is the suspected offending tea urn thought to have caused the fire alarms to go off at the Norwich North and Broadland count.

BBC East's political correspondent Andrew Sinclair says the alarm is not being taken too seriously and people have been told not to leave the building.

BBC Radio Norfolk tweets:, external A cheer breaks out as the fire alarm stops at the Norwich North /Broadland count. The alarm immediately starts again.

David Keller
BBC News Online

Thanks for staying with us. I'll be back to bring you the results of the local elections tomorrow afternoon.

I'll leave you in the safe hands of Nic Rigby, Richard Haugh and Andrew Woodger for the overnight shift.

After ballot boxes were made to queue outside, the count is finally under way in Norfolk North.

The seat, which has the third highest numbers of pensioners in the UK, has been held by Liberal Democrat health minister Norman Lamb since 2001.

He is expected to perform well again this time, with him also being talked among political circles for the Lib Dems' top job in future.

Nic Rigby
BBC News, East

A panoramic view of the count at the Basildon and Billericay in Essex taken by BBC Essex's Danielle Robinson.

In 2010 the seat was held by Conservative John Baron with 52.7% of the vote.

In the commuter belt of Hertfordshire North East, ballot papers are also being counted.

The Conservatives have been dominant in this neck of the woods for many years.

Oliver Heald has held the seat since 1997, with his majority increasing at every election. He's standing again.

Felicity Simper
BBC Look East

The returning officer says a high turn out is expected in Colchester. It could be a close contest.

Andrew Sinclair
Political correspondent, BBC East

Steam from a tea urn has sets off a fire alarm at Broadland and Norwich North count.

We've been told not to evacuate.

Andrew Sinclair
Political correspondent, BBC East

At the Norwich North count both Labour and the Tories say they are expecting a close result.

They are also talking about a high turn out following reports of queues at polling stations in the city and stories of people who have never voted before turning up at polling stations and asking staff how to cast a vote.

In Norfolk Mid the ballot boxes have arrived at the collection centre and the count has begun.

The rural seat, which stretches from Dereham to Wicklewood, has been held by the Conservatives for years, with George Freeman gaining 49.5% of the votes in 2010.

BBC Essex's Charlotte Rose tweets, external: If turnout predictions in Thurrock are true it'll be highest since 1992, when turnout was 78%

At the Guildhall in Cambridge, staff are working flat out to count all the ballot papers.

Cambridge is one seat to watch closely in the East tonight. Labour made strong gains in the last local elections and are expected to do well tonight, giving the Liberal Democrats a run for their money.

In Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, counting has also begun.

At the 2010 election, the Tories won 47.5% of the vote with the Liberal Democrats second on 26.4%.

#DogsAtPollingStations has been trending on Twitter, with people showing off their pristine pooches at the polls.

Image source, Mark Proctor

Mark Proctor from Suffolk tweeted, external: Barney outside Woolpit polling station #IveVoted #DogsAtPollingStations

Send your pics to look.east@bbc.co.uk.