General Election 2015: Thousands across Shropshire and Mid Wales vote

People will be able to go and vote in booths until 10pm tonight.

After 10pm the counts will begin to find out who will represent our constituencies - and of course who will be the next Prime Minister.

• Stick with the Shropshire Star for all the latest election news throughout the day and tonight.

Neither David Cameron nor Ed Miliband is expected to win a clear majority in the closest-fought General Election for generations.

When it was set up as a toll booth two centuries ago, only male owners of property worth at least 40 shillings were able to cast their votes in elections.

Today, 200 years later, men and women of different backgrounds from across Ironbridge will cast their votes at the Tollhouse.

The Tollhouse, which collected money from people crossing the Severn using the world famous Iron Bridge for almost two centuries, opened its doors as a polling station this morning.

The small tollhouse at the entrance to the bridge must be one of the country's most unusual polling stations, with its walls still bearing the centuries old tariffs for crossing the bridge.

The Tollhouse is now part of The Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust which operates the 10 museums and protects many of the historic monuments within the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site.

It was built to serve the millions who since 1779 have come to cross or just marvel at the world's first cast-iron bridge.

The bridge and tollhouse were built by Abraham Darby III and are recognised as one of the great symbols of the Industrial Revolution, spanning the Severn and dominating the small town that bears its name. The building was first used as a polling station five years ago for the 2010 General Election. Ironbridge is in the parliamentary constituency of Telford.

Returning officer Richard Partington said: "It's great to see the Tollhouse being used again to collect votes, after nearly 200 years of collecting tolls.

It leaves the prospect of long and drawn-out negotiations before a government can be formed. Polling stations in Shropshire and Mid Wales threw open their doors at 7am today ready for voters to cast their ballots in this landmark election.

And political leaders kept their campaigns going right up to the wire in a last-ditch bid to gather enough seats to form a majority in the Commons.

Mr Cameron swept across the country, including a visit to the West Midlands, while Ed Miliband ended his campaign with visits to Lancashire and West Yorkshire.

Candidates in Shropshire were still canvassing voters yesterday. Daniel Kawczynski was targeting commuters at Shrewsbury Railway Station and Labour rival Laura Davies was back out on doorsteps in the constituency, while Ukip's Shrewsbury candidate Suzanne Evans yesterday joined Nigel Farage in South Thanet in Kent.

Elsewhere in Shropshire, two Conservatives who held ministerial roles in the last government were finalising their own efforts to hold their seats – Philip Dunne in Ludlow and Owen Paterson in North Shropshire.

In the east of the county, Labour's David Wright is hoping to withstand the challenge of Conservative Lucy Allan to hold his Telford seat, while Mark Pritchard is aiming to keep hold of The Wrekin.

One of the less predictable seats in the area will see Conservative Glyn Davies attempt to retain power in the former Liberal Democrat stronghold of Montgomeryshire.

The Scottish National Party said it was today hoping for a clean sweep north of the border, putting it in the position of possible kingmakers at Westminster.

Mr Miliband has repeatedly stressed he will not do any deal with the SNP, who he says want to break up the UK.

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has indicated he would not form a coalition with either the Tories or Labour that would not guarantee a majority in the Commons.