THOUSANDS of people across South Somerset made their voice heard as the district and Britain voted Leave in the historic EU Referendum.

The majority of the country voted to Leave the European Union in last week’s referendum, sparking huge political changes as the country gears up for a Brexit.

Nationally, there was a turnout of 72.2 per cent, one of the highest ever turnouts for an election or referendum as the issue gripped the nation, and the trend was replicated in Somerset.

Across South Somerset, 99,535 people voted out of the 126,495 people registered, meaning there was an exceptionally high turnout of 79 per cent.

A total of 56,940 people voted to Leave the EU, with Remain gaining 42,527, meaning that around 56 per cent of people in the area voted to leave.

The result was announced shortly after 3am on Friday by South Somerset District Council returning officer Ian Clarke The result was met with mixed reaction from local campaigners.

Councillor Amanda Broom, who switched from the Conservatives to the Liberal Democrats shortly before the referendum, said she was ‘absolutely devastated’ following the result, but urged people to now pull together.

She said: “It’s like being in a movie – but the headline news is real and a decision has been made.

“More than ever, our liberal attitudes and ethics are needed to protect disadvantaged people, workers’ rights, the environment, our friends who have come here to work, stability to our economy, our need for peace and tolerance, our children’s future opportunities and their rights to freedom of thought, travel, education & work, human rights and animal rights.

“We will need to work hard to ensure we provide for those who most need it and do not turn our backs on them. We have to ensure we have a tolerant, fair society for all. We have a strong migrant community in Chard and we now need to reassure them. They are probably feeling fearful at the moment, there’s a lot of hatred coming out and we need to reassure the people in this town that they are valued members of our community.”

Cllr Linda Piggott-Vijeh, county councillor for Ilminster, praised the result.

She said: “Being childless and of pensionable age, it is apparently all my fault for having gone about my business, working hard, paying my taxes and selfishly giving scant thought to the next generation. I dispute this. Certainly the first time voters in my Somerset village all seemed to vote for Brexit. Interestingly, they are among those unlikely to go on to higher education, leaving me to suspect that it may well be the educated chattering classes who have had their noses so severely put out of joint.

“It is the arrogant, righteous attitude of many who wished us to remain tied to Europe, that seems to have caused so many of those who would never normally darken the doors of a polling station, to vote in numbers sufficient to affect the outcome.

“I am thrilled that they turned out, for a change, but I strongly suspect it was for all the wrong reasons. However, turn out they did, and got the result they desired.

“We all have to tolerate decisions we are less than enthusiastic about. Rather than harp on about the irrational, ignorant behaviour of the public at large, we must get on with living our lives to the best of our ability under new circumstances.

“We live in a constantly changing world, and very often the decisions we make can have unintended consequences.

“I have learnt over the years not to waste my time and energy dwelling on the negative aspects of life. I find that my effort is much better spent on looking at ways to get on with the job and make the best of things.

“There is no doubt that our political leaders, of all parties, have got us into something of a serious pickle, but we have survived worse.

“The losers need to move beyond recrimination, and get on with the job of supporting our country.”

Of the other districts in the county, Taunton Deane, West Somerset, North Somerset and Sedgemoor all voted in favour of leaving. M, meanwhile, there was a victory for Remain in Bath and North East Somerset.

Taunton Deane had a relatively narrow margin, Leave winning 52 per cent to 48 per cent; in West Somerset the gap was 60 per cent to 40 per cent and in Sedgemoor it was 62 per cent to 38 per cent.

North Somerset was narrowly in favour of Leave, 52 per cent to 48 per cent, but Bath and North East Somerset voted 57 per cent to 43 per cent in favour of Remain.

The course of Thursday evening and Friday morning was highly chaotic with early polls suggesting Remain had narrowly won and UKIP leader Nigel Farage conceding defeat before the first result had been declared.

Then, suddenly, those in favour of leaving dared to dream after the Sunderland result came in with a sizeable victory for Leave.

Remain seemed to gain ground as Glasgow and South London results came in and it was still too close to call around 2am.

However, A flurry of results toward the 3am mark saw Leave gain a lead that it would not lose and it gradually began to sink in just what was unfolding, with UKIP leader Nigel Mr Farage triumphantly declaring victory shortly after 4am – hailing June 23 as Britain’s Independence Day.

The result was officially declared at 6am.

Leave had 51.9 per cent to Remain’s 48.1 per cent, 17,410,742 votes to 16,141,241, with a turnout of 72.2 per cent.

The results showed a divided nation – Scotland and Northern Ireland voting in favour of staying, while Wales and England opted to Leave.

Those in cities tended to vote Remain while rural areas opted to Leave, and young people chose Remain while older people tended to vote in favour of a Brexit, although older people were also much more likely to vote than younger people.

Now, as the country reels from the decision, plans are being formulated on how Britain will leave the union. A Brexit taskforce has been created by Prime Minister David Cameron, who has appointed neighbouring West Dorset MP Oliver Letwin to lead the unit in the days ahead.