Labour's leadership battle has now drawn to a close after a "long and bruising" campaign.

Leader Jeremy Corbyn and challenger Owen Smith have made their final pitches to Labour MPs and supporters, with the polls having closed at noon.

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to have voted in the leadership race, the results of which will be announced at the party's conference on Saturday.

Read more: Labour remains deadlocked over shadow cabinet issue

Around 640,000 people are eligible to vote in the election, an increase of more than 80,000 on last year's race.

This includes some 340,000 full members, although a further 130,000 were unable to take part after a Court of Appeal ruling.

This ruling barred anyone from voting who had continuous membership for less than six months.

There are a further 168,000 union affiliated supporters, although this number was expected to rise.

The final category is made up of 129,000 registered supporters, each of whom paid £25 to cast a vote.

Read more: Labour remains deadlocked over shadow cabinet issue

More than 3,000 people have also been barred from voting, for reasons such as being involved with other political parties.

Mr Corbyn won last year's leadership race with 59.5% of the vote - and is widely tipped to win again.

A recent YouGov poll for The Times predicted Mr Corbyn would win 62% of the vote.

Mr Corbyn has already said he would "reach out" to Labour MPs if he is successful again.

He spent much of the last full day of campaigning locked in a national executive committee (NEC) meeting, which failed to reach consensus on how to appoint the party's shadow cabinet after almost nine hours of talks.

But he also visited volunteers at the headquarters of the Unite union in central London, who were making last-minute calls to 10,000 party members urging them to back him.

Thanking his supporters for their efforts, which he said included 38 rallies around the country since the end of July, he said they had been "reaching out, involving people in politics that matters''.

Speaking of the leadership contest, he added: "Whatever the result is, we - all of us - have mounted the most incredible campaign, mobilised a lot of people, and we've actually changed the political discourse in this country.

"Together we are very, very strong.''

Read more: Labour remains deadlocked over shadow cabinet issue

Shadow chancellor and Corbyn ally John McDonnell later told supporters he thought Mr Corbyn would get a mandate to lead again, and then it was incumbent on all members of the party to come together and start preparing "very rapidly" for a general election.

However, challenger Mr Smith, former shadow work and pensions secretary, has said a victory for Mr Corbyn would only divide the party.

Labour's NEC has backed a new online code of conduct for members, amid claims from a number of Labour MPs about escalating levels of abuse in the party.

In an open letter to party members and supporters, Mr Smith acknowledged the contest with Mr Corbyn has been "long and bruising" and that while many people did not want the challenge to take place, "the truth is it had to happen".

The Pontypridd MP then warned: "Our party is at a crossroads, and the choice we face is between renewing our party to pursue unity and power, or satisfying ourselves with ongoing division and opposition.

"It's the clearest choice we have had to face in a generation.

"A choice that will not just determine the future of our party, but the future of the millions of people in Britain who need Labour in power.'"

Mr Smith said he entered the race to be leader because he wanted "to see a Labour government again" as he warned of the "untold damage" that could be done by the Conservative administration's "hard right agenda".

As the polls closed, Mr Smith released a statement which said: "I'm incredibly grateful to all of the Labour members, supporters and trade unionists who have voted for me in this election.

"I'm particularly honoured that over 5,000 people have donated their time and efforts to this campaign.

"As a team we've spoken to over 300,000 fellow Labour supporters. Setting out a vision for Labour's future, to end austerity, invest in our NHS, build the 300,000 new homes a year we need to end our housing crisis, boosting workers' rights and pay through a real living wage.

"I'm incredibly proud of the work we've already done and will continue to do for the Labour Party and the people we seek to serve."

In a message on Twitter after polls closed, Mr Corbyn said: "It has been a good debate. Our job now is to unite as a party and hold the Tories to account."