POLICE were concerned that problems at a polling station on election night could have caused “a flashpoint”, according to a report.

The finding was made by the Electoral Commission watchdog in its damning interim report into the country’s polling night chaos on May 6.

In Lewisham, problems arose at the City Learning Centre in Manwood Road, Brockley, as voters swelled in a queue outside from around 9pm, one hour before the deadline.

The polling station, with a potential turnout of 1,612 people, required police assistance to sort the problems out.

At around 9.40pm, the report says, police warned the returning officer “there was a real danger of a flashpoint” and “there was a potential public order problem”.

This led to contingency plans in which voters were rushed into the station, given their ballot papers and lined up to vote inside under police supervision.

The report claims that the combination of general and local elections, alongside a ballot to elect Lewisham’s mayor, worsened the situation as returning officers had to issue three papers to each voter, explaining each one.

In its conclusion, the report recommends changing the law to allow people still queueing at 10pm to be allowed to vote and that local authorities should improve their election planning.

Commission chairman Jenny Watson said: “Returning officers in the areas affected did not properly plan for, or react to, polling day problems.

“That is unacceptable. People in these areas were badly let down and have every right to be angry.”

A spokesman for the council said they were happy that contingency planning had been followed correctly.