Labour and main challenger the Scottish National Party both said there had been encouraging levels of support - but held on for a late flurry at polling stations.

Estimates of voter numbers varied from 9% at noon to around 29% of the 62,051 electorate by late afternoon.

SNP candidate John Mason was one of the first to cast a vote.

The serving Glasgow councillor echoed his party leader's earlier warning shot to Prime Minister Gordon Brown, saying: "If we win this seat, it's an earthquake."

Labour's Margaret Curran, a former Holyrood minister who represents part of the area as an MSP, is trying to hold on to the seat which enjoyed a 13,507 majority at the last election.

She campaigned up to the wire, including a blitz of the checkouts at an Asda supermarket in the Parkhead area.

Labour sent out around 400 activists to bolster support in the morning and said early indications pointed to a strong turnout.

The candidates for the other main parties are Liberal Democrat Ian Robertson, who is a local schoolteacher, and Tory Davena Rankin, a union activist.

The Conservatives said total voter numbers at the polls had been "patchy" but said they had stolen support from previous third place party the Lib Dems.



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