Bridget Blair
BBC Radio Leicester Reporter

There's a real atmosphere already at Parklands Leisure Centre in Oadby where we're awaiting the results for the Harborough constituency.

The walls here are painted "badminton blue" and everyone who is wearing a blue rosette has a big smile on their face.

Image source, PA Media

They're all talking about the predicted 86 Conservative majority in the exit polls.

Phil King, the Conservative leader of the Harborough District Council, told me "the exit polls haven't lied in the last few elections".

Alex Regan
BBC News

The former Loughborough MP and Culture Secretary Nicky Morgan says the exit poll shows that the country wants to move forward and "get Brexit done".

Commenting on LBC, Ms Morgan said: "The bit that got people nodding on the doorsteps was do you want the country to be able to move forward?

"Do you want there to be a clear decision? And people said yes."

Image source, Getty Images

Ms Morgan announced she would not be seeking re-election because her political career had a "clear impact" on her family, and she was the subject of abuse.

She added: "If [the exit poll] is proven to be right then it will give Boris Johnson that ability to get Brexit done but also to move the country forward on many other issues.

Chris Doidge
BBC Radio Derby, political reporter

The exit poll suggests there is a 94% likelihood that Bolsover will go to the Conservatives.

Dennis Skinner has held the seat since 1970.

Elsewhere in the county, Margaret Beckett's Derby South seat is too close to call while Derby North is likely to go Conservative, but still quite close.

Alex Regan
BBC News

Ballots from across the Leicestershire North West constituency are arriving at the count in Whitwick.

The Conservative's Andrew Bridgen is defending the seat, in 2017 he returned to the Commons with a comfortable majority of 13,286.

Simon Ward
East Midlands Today Reporter

The Conservative candidate for Derby North Amanda Solloway has said she is "delighted" by the exit poll, which predicts the Tories will have a majority of 50 seats.

Derby North was was snatched from the Conservatives in 2017 by Labour's Chris Williamson, although he has since been suspended after a row about anti-Semitism. He stood as an independent in this year's election.

Could this have split the Labour vote in Derby North?

Tony Tinley is representing Labour with The Brexit Party's Alan Graves; Green's Helen Hitchcock; and Liberal Democrat Gregory Webb also standing.

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

Earlier today, students turned out in their droves leading to queues at a polling station near Nottingham Trent University.

Image source, Louis Cypher

But for students in other areas, some claimed to struggle to find where to vote because of an anomaly between information on polling cards and on the Nottingham City Council website.

University of Nottingham student Sloe Foxon lives in Radford Boulevard.

When he put information into the city council's website to find his polling station, but it took him to the wrong site and his name wasn't on the list.

He eventually found his site after several phone calls.

Nottingham City Council said: "Although the correct polling station was printed on polling cards, a different polling station appeared on the online finder. We’re sorry for any inconvenience this has may have caused."

Mike O'Sullivan
Reporter, East Midlands Today

Usually general elections take place in the spring, so Christmas jumpers are not a fixture at counts.

But Mansfield's Tory candidate Ben Bradley has decided to get into the festive spirit and said it's national Christmas Jumper Day tomorrow.

He gained the traditionally Labour seat for the Conservatives in 2017, and he hopes to return to the Commons this evening.

Tim Parker
BBC Leicester political correspondent

In Leicestershire, the one to watch will be Loughborough. The university’s large student population should still be in town as term doesn’t officially finish until Friday.

Will they get out in enough numbers to impact on the result?

Tory candidate Jane Hunt hopes to step into former culture secretary Nicky Morgan’s shoes.

But Labour’s been fighting hard to grab the seat, which it lost to the Conservatives in 2010.

Image source, PA Media

In Leicester city, for the first time in 32 years, Labour has a challenge to retain Leicester East after longstanding MP Keith Vaz stood down after a very public downfall.

There's been much media attention on Mr Vaz, and nearly as much on Labour’s choice to replace him, Claudia Webbe.

Some say she has alienated core Labour voters and the Hindu community after she chaired a national party debate on Kashmir earlier this year.

Results, reaction and analysis from general election 2019 counts across Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

Alex Regan
BBC News

Hello and welcome to the BBC East Midlands election coverage.

The polls closed at 22:00 and counting will begin in the coming moments. In the next few hours you can expect to see the first results from Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, and Derbyshire.

We will be keeping you up to date on the latest poll results from across the region.

Image source, PA Media

Reporters from across our local radio network will be at all 32 counts, and you can listen to their overnight coverage by following these links:

• BBC Radio Leicester
• BBC Radio Nottingham
• BBC Radio Derby

If you're staying up with us get the kettle on, pop some coffee in the cafetiere, and get ready for a long night.

Samantha Noble
BBC News Online

Star of Gavin and Stacey, Mathew Horne, has received an honorary degree from Nottingham Trent University.

He has been awarded with a Doctor of Arts in recognition of his significant contribution to acting and charitable work.

Image source, Nottingham Trent University

Horne said: "I feel really, really honoured and it's really exciting.

"When I graduated, aged 20, from the University of Manchester I didn't do all the photos and the holding scroll and any of that.

"I get to do it now without having to do three years work, which is amazing. Arguably I have done 20 years work to get it but that's absolutely fine.

"It's really really nice and it's genuinely a real honour. I absolutely thrilled."

Horne, from Burton Joyce in Nottinghamshire, studied performing arts at the Southwell Minster School and after finishing university began his career as a comedian.

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

We've all heard of dogs at polling stations, but now here's a donkey for you!

Isla the donkey accompanied her owner as she voted in Broughton Astley earlier today.

Image source, Sara Kelly

Its previous owner has bought and sold around 3,000 Harry Potter books over the years.

BBC News finds the unusual places polling stations are open as dogs wait for their voting owners.

The diary describes concerns over his "physical shortcomings" and near misses in trench warfare.

Liam Barnes
BBC News

Police have issued an appeal for information after a van driver died following a crash with a refrigerated goods vehicle.

Officers were called to the accident, at Ullesthorpe Road in Lutterworth, shortly after 10:00.

The van driver - a man in his 20s - died at the scene, and the road was closed for about four hours after the crash.

Image source, Google

Leicester will not sell any of their players during the forthcoming transfer window, manager Brendan Rodgers says.

An NHS trust in Derby and Burton argued it should receive a refund on business rates.

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

A 32-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a street fight in Nottingham last month which ended in a crossbow being used.

Police were called to the fight between two groups outside the Alea Casino on Upper Parliament Street at about 01:50 on 24 November.

Image source, Google

The force said one of the groups left the scene in a taxi but it was boxed in by a white BMW further up the road and a crossbow was used to smash the window. No-one was injured.

Detectives have asked anyone who saw what happened to get in touch with them.

David Pittam
BBC News Online

A man is on his way to pick up his falcon after it escaped from his Stoke-on-Trent garden and ended up being rescued by firefighters in Market Harborough.

Freddie made his escape from the city on Saturday morning but was discovered tangled in a TV aerial more than 70 miles away yesterday.

Image source, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service

His surprised but relieved owner Josh Bailey said he was rescued by the fire service just before a murder of crows attacked him while he was stuck.

Image source, Ash Tree Vets

The 24-year-old, who found out where Freddie was after Market Harborough FM reported the rescue, said: "I didn't think he'd get this far, we were looking in local parks. It's been a stressful few days but I'm over the moon now."

Freddie suffered minor bruising during his ordeal.

Image source, Josh Bailey