Police storm polling station over razor blade in candidate's Peaky Blinders cap

Police stormed a polling station in Middlesborough after a razor blade fell from a candidate's Peak Blinders-style cap.

Mark Baxtrem, 59, was standing as an independent candidate in the Middlesbrough and Thornaby East and came to the vote count wearing a flat cap, waistcoat and sheepskin jacket.

But Mr Baxtrem, who won 383 votes in the seat tonight, was quizzed at one point by police officers after a razor blade reportedly fell from his headgear during evening.

Local democracy reporter Naomi Corrigan shared coverage of the incident on her X account and explained Mr Baxtrem was able to give a reason for the implement to baffled law enforcement officers.

She wrote: "Police have spoken to independent candidate Mark Baxtrem after a razor blade fell from his flat cap."

Ms Corrigan added police said they had spoken to Mr Baxtrem who said he used the blade to "remove callouses on his feet". The blade was confiscated by officers.

Mr Baxtrem, a former environmental engineer and volunteer firefighter, previously told Teeside Live he had been arrested twice in the past two months and two of his vehicles have been seized, but stated no charges have been brought against him.

He told the publication: "I don't know why I have a relationship with Cleveland Police like I do because honestly I'm a hardworking lad, I'm at church every Sunday. I'm a bit of a handful and I'm full of attitude but I'm not a criminal."

Labour's Andy McDonald won the seat with 16,238 votes beating Reform UK's Patrick Seargeant with 7,046 and Conservative Kiran Fothergill with 6,174.

After Labour secured a majority tonight Sir Keir Starmer said "election victories don't fall from the sky", in his victory speech after Labour won the General Election.

The incoming Prime Minister said: "Don't forget how we got here. This morning we can see that the British people have voted to turn the page."

He went on: "I may have mentioned my parents a few times on this campaign - once or twice - but the sense of security we had, the comfort we had from believing that Britain would always be better for their children. The hope - not high minded, not idealistic - but a hope that working class families like mine could build their lives around.

"It is a hope that might not burn brightly in Britain at the moment but we have earned the mandate to relight the fire. That is the purpose of this party and this government.

"We said we would end the chaos and we will. We said we would turn the page and we have. Today we start the next chapter, begin the work of change, the mission of national renewal and start to rebuild our country. Thank you."

Middlesbrough and Thornaby East results

Labour, Andy McDonald:

16,238

Reform UK, Patrick Seargeant:

7,046

Conservative, Kiran Fothergill:

6,174

Workers Party of Britain, Mehmoona Ameen:

2,007

Green, Matthew Harris:

1,522

Liberal Democrat, Mo Waqas:

1,037

Independent, Mark Baxtrem:

383.