TODAY voters in Gwent, across Wales and throughout the UK will go to the polls in one of the most important decisions in living memory.

After months of build-up the referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union will be held today, Thursday.

Polling stations will be open between 7am and 10pm, with counting to begin as soon as polls close. Results are expected to start rolling in shortly after midnight on Friday, with Gwent's figures predicted to be declared between 2am and 3.30am.

But recounts could be held if results are close, possibly delaying some declarations until later in the morning.

Results will be counted in each council area in Wales, followed by an overall Wales-wide declaration in Flintshire in north Wales before the UK-wide result is announced in Manchester.

Although pollsters suggested the two campaigns were still neck and neck just hours before polls opened, bookies have said the remain side has a lead of up to 25 per cent on the leave side.

Holding a referendum on the EU was one of the key pledges made by Prime Minister David Cameron in his re-election campaign last year. Although Mr Cameron has since planted his flag on the side of the remain campaign, other senior Tory figures such as Boris Johnson and Michael Gove.

The majority of Gwent's politicians are firmly pro-EU, with the notable exception of Conservative Monmouth MP David Davies, who has become one of the key figures in the leave campaign.

The leaders of the two largest parties in the Senedd - first minister Carwyn Jones and Plaid Cymru's Leanne Wood - have also backed the remain campaign, with Conservative boss Andrew RT Davies backing a leave vote. Unsurprisingly the Senedd's new seven-strong Ukip group is firmly anti-EU.

The Argus will be reporting live from all the counts in Gwent throughout Thursday night into Friday morning at southwalesargus.co.uk, with a full report on the result and what it means for readers in Saturday's paper.