Thursday is decision day, as people across the North East and Cumbria vote in the UK general election.
Venues have been open since 07:00 BST, and anyone eligible can vote as long as you are in the queue before 22:00 BST.
For some, the trip to the polling station doubles up as an opportunity for pets to stretch their legs – and on a day when there are strict reporting restrictions in place for the media, pictures of dogs at polling stations have become a popular distraction.
Here are a few of the dogs whose owners have already exercised their right to vote.
The Met Office has issued new yellow weather warnings for rain on Thursday and Friday, after days of thunderstorms and downpours caused flooding across parts of
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