Exclusive by Alan Quick

‘VOTE Leave’ campaigners gathered at their Crediton High Street shop on Friday afternoon to celebrate the vote of the people of the country that it should leave the European Union.

John Haddleton, from Upton Hellions, near Crediton, one of more than 20 supporters at the celebration, said: “This is something my wife and I have been working towards for more than 20 years.“We can’t finally believe that the decision has come and now we feel a great weight on our shoulders to make it work.“We will regain our sovereignty. The Queen has held the Commonwealth together for us for all these years.“My friends in New Zealand said that they fought and died for us in two World Wars and would do it again, yet we didn’t want them. Well now we do.“Our manifestos cover all aspects of government and we hope they will be used by the new government.”

Bob Edwards, of Crediton, chairman, Central Devon branch of UKIP, said he was “delighted” with the result.

He added: “I had a gut feeling yesterday that ‘Vote Leave’ would win after so many years of thinking that it would not happen in my lifetime.”

James Steel (19), a Labour party supporter, from Parliament Street, Crediton, described the result as “brilliant”.

He said: “We campaigned ‘week-in, week-out’.

“This result is good for young people. I wasn’t even thought of when we went into the EU.

“When it was set up it was a good idea in some respects and worked for a time.

“It stopped working and now we are going to be set free.”

Roddy Jaques (20), from Crediton, described the result as “fantastic”.

He added: “It is this kind of issue that got me interested in politics five or six years ago.

“This result is incredible, it is a dream come true.

“I saw the polls and I was thinking we had a chance and then we went down to an all-time low of 12 per cent, then the next thing is we were up to 95 per cent.

“It was an amazing turnaround.

“For my generation to see this is something else.

“We must remember not to see it as ‘goodbye’ to Europe. We still want to be friends and work with other people in Europe.

“There is a lot of work to do and there will be a challenge ahead but it will be worth it.”On Saturday, June 25, the pop-up "Brexit" shop in Crediton High Street was removed.