FROM 7am this morning polling stations across the borough have been open for voters to cast their decisions.

The Gazette's reporters are live at the election count at Brunel University in Uxbridge, and will be bringing you regular updates and providing the results as soon as they are announced. For more keep checking back and press Ctrl and F5 to refresh regularly...

6.30 am RUISLIP NORTHWOOD AND PINNER, CONSERVATIVE HOLD

6.15am HAYES AND HARLINGTON: LABOUR HOLD

6.05am UXBRIDGE AND RUISLIP SOUTH RESULTS- CONSERVATIVE HOLD

5.50am The same is now going on for the Uxbridge and Ruislip South constituency, with a discussion taking place over spolit ballot papers now.

5.45am  Hayes and Harlington candidates have been called over by acting returning officer Lloyd White to inspect questionable ballot papers - those marked with anything other than an X. There are more than you would think, piles in fact, and signatures, boxes coloured in with highlighter pens and crosses next to half the names on the paper are just some of the blunders voters have made.

5.40am There has been a delay for the Ruislip, Pinner and Northwood constituency. Just as the counters had finished, three full boxes of ballot papers have just arrived from Harrow West.

5.32am The tables are now clear on the Uxbridge and Ruislip South counting desks. Now the ballot papers are going to the final checks.

5.30am Latest word is that counting for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner is almost done. They should announce a result by 6am. This should be closely followed by the results for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, and finally Hayes and Hillingdon, hopefully wrapping things up by 7am. At least we hope so anyway, as some of us have to be back here tomorrow for the local election count...

5.25am The many politicians and their hangers-on are all now standing around, peering towards the counting tables, to see if they can gain any clues as to the result.

5.20am The sun is now rising, meaning by time everything is finished, all still here will be able to make their way home in daylight, probably a good thing for anybody driving considering the sleep deprivation.

5.10am Some of the counters at the Hayes table are tucking their chairs in and calling it a night, no doubt having endured multiple paper cuts and a good seven hours of rifling through endless ballots.

5.05am The Conservatives currently need 100 more seats to form a Parliament. Will they get them in Hillingdon and how many?

5am Sources are now predicting the results could be announced within the hour. Fingers crossed. The late count has meant that the volunteers- on £20 an hour- are certainly earning well tonight.

4.40am Loud shouts of 'Yes' from the conservative camp, huddled around a television, as it is announced that Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has lost her seat.

4.35am The returning officer here has just announced the turnout figures: 62 per cent in Hayes and Harlington, 64 per cent in Uxbridge and South Ruislip, and 67 per cent in Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner.

This represents an increase in voter turnout in all three seats compared to 2005, but by all accounts, is lower than what was expected for such a closely fought General Election.

For all three Hillingdon seats, the average turnout in 2005 was 60.46 per cent. This year the average is 64.33 per cent.

Nationally, the turnout is projected to exceed 70 per cent.

4.30am Hayes incumbent John McDonnell has finally joined the fray, and told the Gazette that the final-day push for votes was the most satisfying of all.

"I had people giving me the thumbs as I , and large sections of the Tamil and Somali communities turned out to vote which is great to hear."

McDonnell, the self styled people's champion who has garnered support from all sections of Hayes' diverse community, remains favourite to retain the seat but no doubt has learnt from past experience that its not over until its over - in 1992, he lost to Tory Terry Dicks by just 53 votes.

4.15am Scott Seaman-Digby has brought in much-welcomed reinforcements in the form of a box filled with cups of Wild Bean coffee from a nearby petrol station in Long Lane. Many of the MPs and councillors are leering over the counters as they plough through piles of ballot papers. The end is drawing ever closer...

4am Anita MacDonald, the Labour candidate for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner, says the best she can hope for in her contest is to finish second. She told the Gazette: "They predicted 20 per cent more here for the Conservatives after they added Pinner to the seat. A success would be second place but the main success is seeing us [Labour] still having some control in the national government."

Reflecting what many other candidates have said, Ms MacDonald is happy to have seen so many constituents out voting yesterday. "People have been queuing up at the stations," she says.

3.46am Counting has also begun in Uxbridge and Ruislip South.

3.45am Counting has finally begun in the Hayes and Harlington constituency.

3.40am Reports that a full English breakfast has been ordered for all have not been confirmed....

3.35am With only the Ruislip count underway at the moment, there are a lot of restless groups of people huddled around laptops streaming election coverage. A counter told the Gazette that they were still in the process of bundling slips into groups of 50...after that, the counting begins, and that will be no walk in the park. The incumbent Hayes MP John McDonnell still hasn't showed up. He must know something we don't...

3.25am "Thank you for your patience" says Lloyd White on the microphone, announcing that counting is to finally commence for the Ruislip, Pinner and Northwood constituency.

3.20am "They haven't even started counting yet" says Nick Hurd, fresh from a radio interview. A lot of work has been done sorting ballot papers into piles of fifty, where counting can then commence. "I predict 5.30am", he added.

3am "I'm thinking of going home" says Labour party leader Councillor Mo Kursheed, who has to be up again for the local council election count tomorrow.

He predicts that while the Conservatives will hold their constituencies in Uxbridge and Ruislip South and Ruislip, Northwood, Pinner, Labout will also hold through John McDonnell in Hayes and Harlington.

He also hopes that the Labour group will gain seats at the local elections, and is targeting Yiewsley, where the Conservatives said last month they would close down the swimming pool in Otterfield Road. "It is a money making exercise, the young people of the area need the pool."

2.50am Council Leader Ray Puddifoot is still going strong. He is off to do a radio interview for Hayes FM.

2.35am Slow slow slow night so far. The hall is slowly emptying with ,many deciding not to hang around for the result.

2.25am The Gazette's Jack Griffith reports: "The stack of ballot boxes waiting to be cracked open at the Hayes and Harlington counting tables look ominous, and I have been told that the result "won't come anytime soon", with an estimate of 6am given. I was given this ETA by Peter Smallwood, a fresh-faced 20 year-old politics student at Brunel who is up for the Botwell council seat tomorrow."

2.10am Many of the interested candidates who were buzzing around earlier in the night are now sitting down in groups to have a breather. The late hour is beginning to tell as they pace themselves ahead of the upcoming announcements.

2am Conservative MP Nick Hurd, who is tonight defending his seat in Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner, has told the Gazette that he is still optimistic of a Tory majority win in the General Election, despite predictions of a hung parliamtent. He said: "The exit polls suggest we have not quite got enough but we are in pole position. I still think it could happen though."

The latest word from the RNP count itself is that a result will not be declared until 6am.

1.55am Conservative supporter presence outside some of Hayes' polling stations this afternoon had been such that it would 'intimidate' voters, according to Lynne Allen, Labour Councillor for the Townfield ward. Stations at Brookside Primary School and the Pavilion were identified as areas with a concentrated Tory presence, and Mrs Allen said that it was "unacceptable".

She added: "There was a bank of Tory fans in their blue crests lined up outside. As I understand it, two people is the limit, and when I passed one station there were seven of them stood there. I had to ask them to move on because it was just too in-your-face."

1.50am A police officer has just patrolled the hall. He reveals to the Gazette that everything seems to be in order. A relief all round. 

1.35am "A very high turnout" according to the observations of Labour candidate Sid Garg. He has also been about various polling stations through the day canvassing for last minute votes.

1.30am Conservative candidate for Ruislip, Pinner and Northwood Nick Hurd is also here. "I have been around polling stations across the constituency thanking voters for turning out. I have noticed a high turnout. In Eastcote at 8pm there were about 50 people queuing at one stage, which is not what we would have seen in previous years.

He added that he expects it to be a long night. "It looks like they have only started counting in this constituency."

1.25am Uxbridge and Ruislip South conservative candidate and strongly-tipped favourite is here. As the MP since 1997 it would take a shock of earthquake-like proportions to unseat him. He said: "I am not counting my chickens, I never do. There are a lot of swings going on around the country, and you can't take any notice of the exit polls either." He added he was extremely concerned about the number of voters being turned away from polling stations round the country, and that he was relieved to hear no reports of such in Hillingdon.

1.05am News that Bristol has been won by the Conservatives has been well received in the Scott Seaman-Digby camp. He said: "I wouldn't mind a 9.4 per cent swing nationally. Add to that the runway and what we've done..."

12.50am Uxbridge North Councillor George Cooper (Con) says that a hung parliament, a strong possibility according to tonight's exit polls, would not be the disaster it has been cracked up to be. He said: "I was watching the election coverage on foreign channels before I came here tonight, like EuroNews. In Europe a hung parliament is quite common, and it was refreshing to hear a differing perspective."

12.40am Scott Seaman-Digby, the Conservative candidate for Hayes and Harlington, strides in with a large family contingent in tow. He looks sunkissed after a day patrolling polling stations, and looks upbeat.

He said that his attitude towards the campaign hasn't wavered for one moment: "I have been grinning from start to finish, and it has been a real pleasure finding out what the people of Hayes actually want. I am just excited now - the hard work is done and hopefully we will get the result we are hoping for."

His campaign has snowballed over the course of the month, and there is real optimism that he can pry the seat away from Labour's John McDonnell. We wait the result with bated breath...

12.40am Inside the Brunel University sports hall, it is a frantic hub of activity as counters meticulously take their time adding up the votes. It is very much a waiting game for all at the moment.

12.35am Cliff Dixon, the English Democrat who entered the running for the Hayes seat at the last-minute, said that he didn't hold high hopes this time round but thought the fourth place was within his grasp. He said: "If I get fourth this time round I will stand again at the next election, and then I will be able to plan a campaign properly and really get people on board." He added that he felt the Tory campaign was "hitting home", with the most recent crop of leaflets simply displaying a portrait of Gordon Brown with the heading: "Have me for the next five years". Not subtle, but we get the point...

12.25am  The Lib Dems have been riding on a wave of optimism after the success of leader Nick Clegg in the televised debates and Satnam Kaur Khalsa, their candidate fighting for the Hayes seat, said that she had been encountering middling voters at every turn during her campaign. She said: "The response from voters has been mixed - many people were still undecided, even today. People haven't usually had to choose between three parties and they have been rethinking their previous position. That bodes well for us." Despite this, she believes that her Labour counterpart has this one in the bag. "John is very strong - he has achieved an awful lot and the people of Hayes seem to be firmly behind him."

12.20am A big breaking story nationally is the high number of people turned away from voting stations around the country at 10pm, while certain stations decided to remain open. Were you turned away in Hillingdon? Tell us your experiences by e-mailing editorialuxbridge@trinitysouth.co.uk

12.15am Crack open the champagne...all the ballot boxes are finally in. Now the counters will really earn their money if they are to hit that 3.30am prediction...

12.10am   At Bishop Ramsey School in Eastcote today, a mock general election involving students and staff resulted in a majority Conservative win. The Lib Dems were second, ahead of Labour and the Greens in joint third. Sixth form student Nikki Hattan represented the Green Party in the vote, and is attending tonight's count at Brunel University with the Green parliamentary candidate for Ruislp, Northwood and Pinner, Graham Lee. She told the Gazette: "It's really interesting so far, we've been watching the count. We'll be here until late."

12.05am Ballot boxes are still rolling in...

11.55pm Deputy Mayor of London and Harefield Councillor Richard Barnes told the Gazette he was stuck outside Brunel queuing behind the ballot boxes for 25 minutes. He said: "I can't remember it ever being like this." He has spent the day at constituencies across Hillingdon and Ealing where he noted an 'impressive' turnout. He said: "The Conservatives are quietly confident about Hayes. Its possible. It would take a hell of a swing but its possible."

11.35pm Peter McDonald, chair of the Labour group, said that there was optimism in the John McDonnell camp and a confidence in the people of Hayes. He is a very good MP. We have said to people 'John has helped you in the past - now it is your time to come and help him', and we are confident that people have done that."

He was also quick to voice his dismay at having all the counts in one place."The cars bringing the ballots in are lined up outside and moving little by little. No one can get through and by the looks of things we will be here all night. Logistically it is madness. I don't understand why they couldn't keep the counts in the relevant constituencies like in previous years."

11.35pm Ballot boxes are still on their way in. Traffic hold up has caused a back log, although council insiders predict the late arrival will not delay the count.

11.30pm The Hayes & Harlington Labour camp have made an entrance. Helen Lowder, John McDonnell's parliamentary assistant is on heavy legs, having been canvassing until the dying moments before polls closed.

"We have been knocking on doors all day - it's been a draining campaign and now I almost feel emotional that it's all over."

John McDonnell is presumably taking a well-earned rest - he is not to be expected until much later. Alright for some...

11.15pm Council Leader Ray Puddifoot (Con) says he is in relaxed mood, at tonight's count. Sipping on a bottle of Powerade to keep him alert. He told the Gazette that he was hopeful Scott Seaman-Digby may spring a surprise and take Hayes from the Labour grip of John McDonnell, to make it a clean blue sweep in Hillingdon. He said he has been spending the day in Hillingdon East making a last minute push to prevent the Lib Dems winning seats.

11.05pm Mike Cox, Liberal Democrat candidate for Uxbridge and Ruislip South has conceded defeat already. Speaking to the Gazette, he said: "John Randall (Con) will win. We are aiming for a good result. We are aiming for second."

He went on to praise the high voter turnout that he had witnessed throughout the day, but had a critical word for the lack of facilities at the count, where there appears to be a lack of coffee and facilities. "It's pathetic. The sign of a badly run council."

11.00pm Many politicians from around the borough are now here, including Uxbridge and South Ruislip Lib Dem candidate and rank outsider Mike Cox, and his Ruislip Manor ward council foe, Conservative deputy council leader Douglas Mills. The pair have clashed fiercely in recent weeks, and will find out their fate in the Ruislip Manor ward tomorrow.

10.50pm The first ballots for the Hayes & Harlington seat have rolled in to the counting room at Brunel University, in a constituency that has been hotly-contested from the off. John McDonnell, the Labour candidate who has enjoyed comfortable majorities since coming into office in 1997 and who has garnered support from all sections of Hayes' diverse community over the years, is taking on a resurgent Conservative Party, spearheaded by Scott Seaman-Digby, the Northwood councillor who has enlisted the help of friends in high places - namely George Osborne (Shadow Chancellor), Michael Gove (Shadow Secretary for Schools) and a certain David Cameron - who have all visited Hayes during the month-long campaign. The Tories are now optimistic about their chances for this seat, having named it one of their "battleground" seats.

10.45pm A lot of verification work is going on at present, to ensure the papers are in the right boxes. Reports are coming in that there are queues of traffic outside Brunel University down Kingston Lane, with all the ballot boxes arriving at once in various vehicles.

10.30pm The ballot boxes are beginning to trickle in, with men in high-visibility yellow jackets wheeling them into the hall. It is either health and safety which means they cannot carry them, or the sheer weight of votes due to a record turnout.

10.15pm Head of democratic services Lloyd White is on the microphone, explaining how the evening is going to work. The night is doubly complicated because of the parliamentary and local elections. Ballot boxes must be checked to make sure the votes are in the right box. He says he hopes 'it is not too long a night'. Ballot boxes have not yet arrived.

10.05pm First politician of the night spotted, Uxbridge South councillor and cabinet member Keith Burrows taking a brisk walk past the press desk. His big day is tomorrow when the results of local council elections are revealed.

9.50pm The indoor athletics centre is slowly filling up with vote counters and with press. A radio blaring out Magic FM has swiftly been removed from the press desk to make way for extra plugs. At this point results are anticipated to be announced at 3.30am.

For your opinions and reactions to the night's events, e-mail editorialuxbridge@trinitysouth.co.uk