'Misplaced' votes are causing a hold up at the Isle of Wight Council election.

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Returning Officer Claire Shand has told candidates and their agents that ballot boxes will be re-sealed after the votes are counted, and a provisional result will be announced to candidates.

However a final declaration will not be made until all the wards have been counted.

The Isle of Wight Council has 39 seats up for grabs and votes were cast yesterday (Thursday, May 7).

Chief Executive John Metcalfe said: "We've put all the ballot papers into each ward and started counting each ward.

"There are a number of postal ballot papers from one ward in the wrong box.

"We'll count every ward and make an assessment and move ballots to the right ward.

"We'll make sure every candidate gets every vote for them. The good thing is, our systems have found it."

Provisional results are being announced to the candidates, however, before the boxes are re-sealed and stored - and there will be a case-by-case assessment after that.

It will mean a delay to the final results.

**Update**

We now know that four wards are being double checked after an earlier issue with misplaced postal votes.

More on that here: Isle of Wight election count hold up over 'misplaced' ballots

Cowes Medina, Fairlee and Whippingham, Lake North and East Cowes are being recounted or checked.

All other wards are finalised and a result is imminent.