A printing error has been blamed on a North Wales regional candidate being omitted from tens of thousands of ballot papers across Gwynedd and Anglesey.

The relevant returning officers say they’ve sought the advice of the Electoral Commission as a result of the error which saw Michelle Brown’s name failing to appear on the ballot papers of voters living in the Ynys Môn and Arfon constituencies.

Ms Brown, who is based in Staffordshire, was elected as one of the four members representing the North Wales electoral region as a UKIP AM in 2016.

She hit the headlines in 2017 after she was accused of making a racist comment about a then senior Labour politician and was banned from the Senedd for a week.

She also denied claims she smoked drugs in a Cardiff hotel room, the same year.

Having left the party in 2019, she is once again standing as an independent candidate for one of the North Wales regional list seats.

In a joint statement, the returning officers for Ynys Mon (Annwen Morgan), Gwynedd (Dilwyn Williams) and Flintshire (Colin Everett), noted: “Due to a local printing error the Senedd North Wales Regional Ballot Papers for the Arfon constituency in Gwynedd and Ynys Môn do not include the final listed candidate – Michelle Brown, Independent.

“Voters are now being advised of this error as they attend their local polling stations, and are still being given the opportunity to vote for the candidate of their choice from the full list of nominated parties and candidates.

“The correct ballot papers are being issued across the other parts of the North Wales region.

“We are working closely with the Electoral Commission, which is providing us with advice and guidance on how we can support voters in casting their vote.”

Leading each party’s list of candidates for the North Wales region are: Dr Felix Aubel (Ukip); Michelle Brown (Independent); Simon Foster (Freedom Alliance); Michelle Francis (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition); Nathan Gill (Reform); Llyr Gruffydd (Plaid Cymru); Jacqui Hurst (Propel); Mark Isherwood (Conservative); Iolo Jones (Green Party); Trevor Jones (Britain’s Communist Party); Phil Roberts (Gwlad); Richard Suchorzewski (Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party); Carolyn Thomas (Labour); and Chris Twells (Liberal Democrat).For the full list of candidates, visit whocanivotefor.co.uk