Borough goes to polls in European elections

Voters in the North West will select the region's eight members of the European Parliament (MEPs) using a proportional list system.

Other news: Man seriously injured as four cars crash at junction Polling stations are open now and residents have been making their way to the booths to select who they think should represent them in Brussels and Strasbourg.

It is an election the UK was not originally expected to take part in and those who get elected do not know how long they will take their seats for as they will leave the parliament in the event of a final Brexit deal being agreed.

There are nine parties and two independent candidates standing in the North West.

Voters get to choose one party or individual.

Each party has put together a list of up to eight candidates.

The party or individual with the most votes gets the first name on the list elected.

Its voting total is then divided by two.

After this process whoever is top gets the top name on its list elected.

This process then continues until all the eight seats are filled.

If a party gets more than one MEP chosen its total is then divided by the number of elected representatives it has plus one in the next round.

Polling stations close at 10pm. The votes will then be verified and counted before the regional result is announced in Manchester late on Sunday evening.

For more information, including the full list of candidates standing and where the polling stations are, visit https://www.wigan.gov.uk/Council/Voting-and-Elections/Elections.aspx