Leave Means Leave march heads south from Hartlepool as they call on Government to ensure UK leaves EU on March 29 deadline

But there was no sign of former Ukip leader Nigel Farage on today's walk as the event set off from Seaton Carew bound for Middlesbrough.

MEP Mr Farage launched the event, which is due to arrive in Westminster on the day the UK is due to leave the EU, Friday, March 29, and will now only be joining theprocession at a series of points due to commitments.

The organisers have also today said that the event is limited to 100 walkers, with 50 of those a core group and the remaining participants joining for separate legs of thejourney, with the restrictions due to "health and safety."

Members of the Fishing for Leave campaign, who held a protest on the River Tyne on Friday, were also expected, but did not appear to arrive in time for the start after reportedly getting stuck in traffic.

Related: Brexit saga 'worst handling of any event since Suez' says party leader as Fishing For Leave flotilla sets sail on the River Tyne

Yesterday's launch also saw counter protesters voice their differing views, with flares in the blue and yellow colours of the European Union flag let off within the crowd as it set off from Ryhope.

Today, a handful of dog walkers paused to watch the open top 'Stop the Brexit Betrayal' bus shadow the marchers as they set off from the coach and car park next toSeaton Carew Golf Club.

A few folk also came out of their homes to clap on the march as it headed south.

Just under than 70% of Hartlepool voters who turned out at the polls in the June 2016 referendum backed a call to leave the EU.

Among the few locals who joined in the march was Lily Dawes, 66, who lives in the Mill House area of town.

She said: "I just want our sovereignty back, I'm sick of them putting us off.

"It's about time they gave us what we voted for and stop dragging.

"I feel as if they are fobbing us off, they just want to keep us in, and I think there's a chance it'll all be cancelled, which is exactly what they want.

"But I voted leave because first of all, I was to see us take back that £39billion.

"We're world traders and we can use the WTO rules to keep trading.

"I think it will only make us stronger."

Among those to watch on as the group left was Ian Imlah, 57, a lift engineer from Seaton Carew, who was out with his dog Sid.

"It's good to see, that Nigel Farage's march has come through and I wanted to see what was going on," he said.

"I'm not part of it, but I support it and voted to leave.

"I think we're a strong country, we've done it before in our history and we can do it in the future.

"People forget what a great country we are.

"This area will benefit and I'm hoping more jobs will come through and see some of our money spent on our own country, rather than being sent abroad."

Scott Carr, 50, and Wendy Harrison, 49, both from Stockton, also stopped as they walked dogs Jock, George and Digger.

Scott said: "We know we are leaving, but we've been failed by our politicians."

Wendy added: "We came along to show our support.

"I think Brexit has shown we have got a broken democratic system.

"We are making too many concessions to those who did vote to leave."

March to Leave: 20 pictures as Nigel Farage's Brexit protest starts in Sunderland

Richard Tice is co-chairman of the Mean Leaves Leave campaign and started off today's event.

He said: "It was vital because Hartlepool is a big leave area, we started in Sunderland, which of course had the Sunderland roar, and this march is representing 17million people up and down the length of the country who voted to leave.

"So it's really important that people across the country feel there is a campaign which is standing up for Brexiteers and is making it very clear to the Government,this deal is a complete betrayal of Brexit and should be rejected again and again."

He said the Government should "scrap the whole thing."

He added: "It's the worst deal in history, who on earth in their right mind would agree to pay £39billion of our money, taxpayers' money, to have the right to talk tosome other people.

"Where it leaves us is let's go to operate under the WTO rules, that's what most countries across the world operate under, it means we can take back control of ourlaws, money and borders on March 29.

"There's no need for a transition period, people have had plenty of time to get used, this and everybody's always known it was a default position to leave without adeal.

"The instruction to Government, from 17.4 million people was to leave, it wasn't leave if we can get a good deal, it was leave.

"The Prime Minister adopted our slogan, leave means leave, no deal is better than a bad deal.

"This is the worst deal, and yet she's pursuing it."

He said leaving would result in money being invested into services across Hartlepool, including health and rail.