An Internet vote on a newspaper's website has produced astonishing results - with more than 12,000 votes cast over a local council spat.

It seems rival camps in a "should Jim Hamezeian quit the council" row have spent hours trying to win a computer popularity battle in Barrow.

The North West Evening Mail chose the fierce debate as the time to launch a new online polling feature at the paper's website.

It was inundated with hits over the weekend as almost 12,000 votes were registered.

Coun Hamezeian resigned as leader of the People's Party on Barrow Council after failing to win support from his party colleagues for alternative budget proposals.

Acting editor Bill Myers said: "The results were amazing and just show the strength of feeling Jim Hamezeian generates - both among those who love him and those who hate him.

"I strongly suspect a handful of dedicated activists on either side of the debate have engaged in a computer duel right up to the voting deadline at midnight on Sunday."

More than 60 per cent of the online voters said he should stay as councillor while about 40 per cent said he should go. On an Evening Mail phone poll 185 votes were cast with the result being almost two to one for Jim to stay on the council.

A public meeting was being held last night to decide on the future of the People's Party, which is worried about personalities getting in the way of its policies.

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