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Police called as voters turned away from Sheffield polling stations - VIDEO
POLICE were called to four polling stations in Sheffield last night to restore calm when ballot boxes were sealed up at 10pm - despite hundreds of people queuing up to cast their votes.
Officers were sent to Ranmoor, Heeley, Ringinglow and Woodseats, where there were angry scenes when polling stations were closed before everyone had the chance to cast their votes.
At St John's Parish Church in Ranmoor a group of around 100 students refused to allow the ballot boxes to leave the polling station for around an hour in protest at being robbed of their right to vote.
A facebook site has been set up to complain at the way university students were treated with claims that local residents were fast-tracked to the polling booths in one queue while students were forced to stand in a slower-moving queue.
One student was so incensed she set up a Facebook site to complain at the way students were treated.
Superintendent Jason Harwin, of South Yorkshire Police said extra police officers were on duty for election night as a precaution.
"We had extra staff on - it was a high profile event and with Nick Clegg at the count at Ponds Forge we potentially had the next Prime Minister there," he said.
"We were called to four polling stations because there was some concern from staff in them about the number of people still stood outside who they knew were not going to be able to vote in time.
"There was no violence but there were concerns from staff from polling stations.
"People were remonstrating with polling station staff, as there were in other places in the country - this was not unique to Sheffield.
"There were no arrests."
Former Hillsborough MP Helen Jackson descrined the problem as "disgraceful" and suggested there could be a legal challenge if results are close.
John Mothersole, returning officer for Sheffield, apologised to residents who were unable to vote.
He said: "We got this wrong and I would like to apologise.
"We were faced with a difficult situation with the numbers of people, and a large amount of students turning up to vote without polling cards.
"This made the administration process of ensuring the correct person was given a ballot paper much longer.
"The only remedy, which we could not take, was to extend the voting times."
VIDEO: Press the play button to see our interview with apologetic Lee Adams, Sheffield City Council's Deputy Chief Executive.
She also told The Star:"I wouldn't blame the voters - it's our fault."
A "thorough review" into incidents around the country where people were unable to vote by the time polls closed was pledged by the Electoral Commission today.
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BREAKING: It's a hung parliament, says TV exit poll
ELECTION: Hundreds unable to vote due to big queues
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Weather for Sheffield
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
