How a hat became an election social media phenomenon

It is the fashion moment no one expected on election night - a hat in Blyth has taken social media by storm.

Worn by the High Sheriff of Northumberland, Lucia Bridgeman, who was declaring the results of four Northumberland counts, it captured people's imagination.

"The hat of the night” and "unbelievable hat game" were just some of the comments online.

Ms Bridgeman said she was sporting the role's traditional uniform.

She said her outfit was "very simple, a dress, a coat, and a hat - and the hat has got ostrich feathers on it.

"This is the outfit that the high sheriff wears, it's not meant to be ostentatious, but is meant to be a uniform, in a sense."

Ms Bridgeman was surprised to hear it had gone viral.

"I don't have Twitter, so I won’t even see it [the comments], how funny," she said.

This is not the last we will see of the hat, either.

She said: "I was given the hat, this is not my hat, it's been handed on by a previous high sheriff in another county.

“So it’s come to Northumberland and it will be passed on, you will see it again,” Ms Bridgeman promised.