UKIP says it has been “innundated” with calls from voters complaining the party is not on the European election ballot papers.

The party, which wants Britain to pull out of the EU, says it has received reports from Dartford, as well as Carlisle, York and Hampshire.

It claims that returning officers have been folding ballot papers so that the last two, three or four parties in alphabetical order, including UKIP, are hidden when the first fold of the paper is opened.

UKIP says it is collecting names and addresses of those complaining and will be preparing the grounds for a legal challenge to the election result.

The party’s leader Nigel Farage, who is standing for election in the south east region, said: “This problem is more widespread than we first thought.

“It seems that many of the ballot papers were pre-folded and flattened which means that when it is unfolded, the bottom flap, which bears the UK Independence Party entry, basically has to be peeled off.”

Comment is expected shortly from Dartford Council.

Have you voted today? Did you see UKIP on your ballot paper?