WINCHESTER Labour Party has thrown its weight behind Jeremy Corbyn.

As the Labour leadership contest is heating up between Mr Corbyn and Owen Smith, members of the party from the Winchester area voted largely in favour of the under-pressure Labour leader.

The news comes after members of Romsey and Southampton North Constituency Labour party, Southampton Test and Eastleigh CLPs also backed Mr Corbyn.

Mr Corbyn was elected as party leader by a landslide last year, but has been attacked by critics within the party over his leadership and allegations he was “lukewarm” in his support for the campaign to keep the UK within the European Union.

Former Shadow Business Secretary Angela Eagle had also launched a bid to challenge Mr Corbyn, but dropped out of the race to allow former Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Mr Smith to stand as his sole rival.

It also comes after Labour's ruling body won its challenge against a High Court decision allowing new party members to vote in the upcoming leadership election.

Many of the new members who can't vote, were expected to support Mr Corbyn instead of rival Owen Smith.

In Winchester however Mr Corbyn can rely on support of members who turned out in force for the meeting on Thursday with queues of people forming outside the venue eager to play their part.

The result in the supporting nomination ballot was 86 for Mr Corbyn and 36 for challenger Mr Smith.

Chairman of Winchester Labour, Richard James said: "It has been enormously encouraging to see so many local members and supporters engaging with this process to select the leader to take our party towards the next election. Tonight members addressed the meeting with thoughtfulness and passion, including young people attending their first ever political meeting.

"We now have over a 1,000 members in Winchester. At this rate we're going to need a bigger meeting room."

The election will be decided by individual members with the result due on September 24.