Britain has voted to leave the European Union - prompting David Cameron to resign.

Thanet voted leave by 46,047 to 26,065 - a 64% majority following a 73% turnout.

The result was slightly higher than the rest of Kent, where 59% of voters opted for Brexit.

Thanet's leaders have reacted to the referendum result.

Thanet District Council leader Chris Wells (Ukip) said: "I am quietly chuffed, in fact nosily chuffed.

"It is a very good result and I am really pleased. People worked hard for this and through the night we began to realise we were on the verge of a historic breakthrough.

"I said he [David Cameron] would announce his resignation today and he has.

"He got it right in resigning.

"The political establishment has been given a bloody nose by ordinary people.

"The process of leaving has to begin right away, people that voted to leave will be impatient.

"It is time to reintroduce ourselves to the world."

Mr Wells said that Thanet had received around £38m from the EU but couldn't give a specific time frame in which that money was provided.

He added: "In the years gone by Thanet has received funding from the EU budget but it has been a while since the last big amount.

"Whenever big political events happen there is speculation on currency.

"It has happened before and it will happen again, it is not pleasant but I think it was almost a set up."

North Thanet MP Roger Gale said: "I think it is a profoundly sad and probably bad decision, but the British public have made their view known.

"I am very sad indeed that the Prime Minister has taken the decision to resign, but I fully understand why as he is an honourable man and he made his position clearly known.

"In the interests of the UK, I don't feel it is a good thing because we will have a hasty leadership election and I think it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that we will find ourselves with an early general election.

"Unfortunately, when the economy of the UK sneezes, Thanet catches the cold because we are an area of high social deprivation and the moment the economy goes into a downturn, Thanet feels it more than others.

"I hope very much that the predictions that have been made are not realised but I fear they will be."

South Thanet MP Craig Mackinlay (Cons) said: "I'm delighted about the result and I actually thought Thanet's majority would be higher but the area did its bit.

"The referendum is what I got into politics for and I am very pleased for Britain, for democracy and the potential for our future.

"We can now untangle ourselves from our Euro partners and if they want to create the country of Europe that is fine but we have been very honest and said that won't work for us.

"This will be an amicable divorce and we will look back in a few years and say it was a great decision.

"I am saddened by the resignation of David Cameron and I thought there was a place for him, a place to stay and head up our negotiations with a Brexit team around him.

"He is one of the reasons that me and other politicians got elected and he has done great work in turning around this country.

"The economy is no different today than it was yesterday, there would have always been uncertainty but it just a blip and will turn back around within the next week.

"Britain will now have to gather advice on our exit strategy before pushing the button on Article 50, but that doesn't need to happen right away.

"I think it has given us hope for the future and it is great that Parliament will be sovereign again."