In Pictures: Party chiefs lead the way as UK voters head to the ballot box

PA Wire

Voters around the UK are heading to the polls for local elections.

They are choosing local representatives in England, Scotland and Wales and there will also be an election for the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Party leaders led the way, many of them heading out early to cast their own ballots.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria at the TRA Hall, London (Aaron Chown/PA) (PA Wire)

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey leaving the polling station at Surbiton Methodist Church (Jonathan Brady/PA) (PA Wire)

All 32 councils in Scotland and all 22 in Wales will be holding elections, with residents able to vote from the age of 16.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon outside Broomhouse Community Hall polling station, Glasgow (Jane Barlow/PA) (PA Wire)

Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford and wife Clare voted at St Catherine’s Hall, Pontcanna, Cardiff (Bronwen Weatherby/PA) (PA Wire)

In Northern Ireland, five Assembly seats are up for grabs in each of 18 constituencies, to send 90 representatives to the Stormont Assembly.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson at Dromore Central Primary School (Brian Lawless/PA) (PA Wire)

Michelle O’Neill at St Patrick’s Primary School in Co Tyrone (Niall Carson/PA) (PA Wire)

Polling stations have been set up in some unlikely locations.

A polling station at the Crown and Cushion pub near Camberley in Surrey (Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Wire)

A mobile polling station at Aldershot Lido (Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Wire)

A temporary set-up in Whitley Bay, Northumberland (Owen Humphreys/PA) (PA Wire)