Voters are heading to the polls across Colchester today to elect 20 new councillors.

Polling stations open at 7am and close at 10pm tonight.

The votes will be counted tonight at Charter Hall with the first result expected at around 2am.

One-third of the seats on Colchester Borough Council (CBC) are up for grabs - with the potential for the ruling Liberal Democrat/Labour/Independent administration to be replaced.

Currently CBC is made up of 26 Lib Dems, 23 Conservatives, eight Labour and three Highwoods Independent members.

The Conservative, Labour, Lib Dem and Green parties are fielding candidates in each seat, whil the UK Independent Party is contesting 14 wards.

There are two independents running, incumbent Gerard Oxford for the Highwoods Independent Group in Highwoods and Christina Perdicou in the Shrub End ward.

Six new faces are guaranteed to be on the council after the vote as some councillors have decided not to run again.

Voters across the country are also going to the polls for the European Parliament elections today.

Details of polling stations can be found at the CBC website and voters are being reminded they do not need to take polling cards with them to vote.

For full, live coverage of the results as they come in visit the East Anglian Daily Times website.