A night of endeavour by students from the University of Central Lancashire has been hailed a huge success – with their by-election website getting ‘hits’ from all over the world.

The team of nine set up a resource for journalists and researchers covering Thursday’s Preston by-election.

It covered the candidates, the constituency and local issues and also hosted a discussion forum.

Co-ordinator Mike Ward, from the department of journalism, told HoldtheFrontPage: “Four students went to the count with a digital camera and laptop.

“They got pics, quotes from the main candidates and the full result details and posted them on the site overnight.

“This involved a cottage industry of writing and sorting pictures in one student house and e-mailing copy to another’s at four in the morning to be subbed. They finished at about 5am.

“When I logged on at 7am it was all there and the site was gettinghits from as far afield as New Zealand.

“The students have learned a lot this weekend and are tired but happy!”

Their website: www.preston2000.com will be “live” for the next few weeks.

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