Nigel Farage marks March to Leave protest arrival in Hartlepool with a pint

Nigel Farage toasts the first day of the protest at the Merry Go Round pub.

Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage has toasted the first day of a two-week march in support of Brexit.

Around 100 people joined Mr Farage and other Brexiteers for the Leave Means Leave protest, which began in Sunderland on Saturday.

It took participants between five and six hours to reach Hartlepool, where they will stay overnight before setting off to Middlesbrough on Sunday.

The 14-day march will end in London on March 29 - the initial date set for the UK to leave the European Union.

Calls of "Leave means Leave" could be heard as the crowd made their way along the North East coast, passing through Seaham and Blackhall on their way to Hartlepool.

At the end of Saturday's event, Mr Farage and his supporters set up shop at the town's Merry Go Round pub, in Holdforth Road, to enjoy a pint.

There were not any formal stops on the march - and the exact route protesters will take across the country is not yet known.

The 14-day march began in Sunderland today.

Mr Farage had his photograph taken at Seaham, next to the iconic Tommy statue, before the event moved on.

Speaking in Sunderland ahead of its start, the politician said that the "will of the people was clear" and that it would be an "outrage" for Brexit not to go ahead on March 29 as planned.

He added: "If politicians think they can walk all over us, then we're going to march back and tell them they can't. Simple as that."