Fife aims for EU referendum result at 3.00a.m.

Fife’s regional vote is at the Michael Woods Sports Centre where staff are all in place.

Early indications suggest turnout in the Kingdom could be as high as 70 per cent - the figure was reported for Dalgety Bay - but a clearer picture will emerge as the ballot boxes reach the Glenrothes centre.

Fife is anticipating a result around 3.00 a.m. - slightly earlier than the notional time of 4,.00 a.m.

Steve Grimmond, Counting Officer, said preparations for the historic vote - 41 years on since the last referendum in 1975 - had gone very smoothly.

‘We more or less started planning for it about two days after the Scottish parliamentary elections,’’ he said.

‘‘It’s a fairly big operation, with all the elections in recent years we’ve had plenty practice.’’

Postal votes are already at the venue, with ballot boxes due to start arriving after the polls close at 10.00 p.m. The verification process will then get underway followed by the count.

Once that is completed the Fife result will be sent to the Scottish regional count to be verified before being announced at the sports centre.

>> One staff member working at the count will come full circle tonight.

Steve Grimmond, Counting Officer, said staff member Doreen Sim was undertaking her final count ... and her first one was the EU referendum in 1975.

‘‘It is a historic day to be part of.’’ he said.

>> There will be regular updates live from the Fife count on our website, and on Twitter yuou can follow @fifefreepressed for more information from the venue through the night until the result is declared. Use the hashtags #EURef and #EUrefFife