EPPING Forest District Council says it has already received a record number of returned postal votes ahead of tomorrow's general election.

Yesterday around 60 per cent of forms sent out had been returned, even though the authority is still accepting them today as well.

The council sent out 7,000 postal votes for the Epping Forest Constituency with another 1,000 sent to residents of both the Harlow and Brentwood and Ongar constituencies.

A council spokesman said: "Postal voting has become more popular since the last General Election in 2005.

"The council has never received so many returns at this stage of any previous election.

"Does this just mean more people have already made up their minds with days to go? Perhaps more people simply prefer to vote by post or is it a sign of a higher turnout at the polling stations on Thursday?"

Council staff began opening postal votes last Friday.

Residents who have not yet sent off their postal votes can bring them to polling stations tomorrow as well.

Visit guardian-series.co.uk tomorrow for a live blog by our reporter Edmund Tobin with all the latest news from the election count at Theydon Bois Village Hall.