EURO-sceptic MP Bernard Jenkin said he felt humbled after the country voted to leave the EU.

The Harwich and North Essex MP has been a leading campaigner in the Leave campaign having fought against being part of the alliance for more than 20 years.

After the votes were cast, Mr Jenkin said he felt "numbed by the enormity of what was happening".

He added: "I am humbled by the power of the people's votes and excited when I think of the opportunities which lie in front of our country now.

"I am mindful of the reassurances we must give to those who voted with great passion and commitment for members of the EU."

As the financial markets plummeted following the declaration the UK would leave the EU, Mr Jenkin remained positive UK citizens would not suffer hardships.

He said: "The markets were wiped out by the scaremongering having been told to expect the worst. They will settle down quickly."

He added the Chancellor George Osborne was responsible for a "great deal of the turmoil in the markets".

"When we leave the EU, in the words of Lord Rose, it will be a gentle process and you will not notice much change at all at the beginning."

Mr Jenkin made reference to Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, who called for a strengthening of the partnership between the EU and the UK.

He said: "I would still want to be a good European but the opportunities in front of us are much greater than the alternatives imposed on us by the EU."

Mr Jenkin was one of the Maastricht rebels, when in 1992, soon after being elected, he stood against the Government in protest to the ratification of the treaty.

He said: "On Friday morning, I found myself locked in an embrace with Iain Duncan-Smith.

"We were elected on the same day and fought Maastricht together.

"We reflected on 25 years in politics during which this issue has loomed over us. Suddenly politics is transformed."

Mr Jenkin said the most significant moment in his career as an MP had been when he sat down with back benchers after the 2015 General Election to work out how to run a "No" campaign against membership of the EU.

He said: "It was like starting to build a 747 as it was trundling down the runway for its maiden flight and finished up with an organisation involving thousands and thousands of people all over the country.

"It was a vast undertaking."

Mr Jenkin acknowledged it had been a bitter battle but said: "All's well that ends well although there have been some bumps along the way.

"We always knew it was going to play hardball but we were never going to be personal.

"The effectiveness of our campaign drove the Government to make personal attacks and to scaremonger which was not justified."

Mr Jenkin said he had written to Prime Minister David Cameron after he announced he would stand down as the country's leader at the Conservative Party conference in October.

He said: "I would have liked him to carry on but I understand he feels he must call it a day.

"He gave his statement with dignity and sincerity."

Mr Jenkin said he did not feel vindicated for the views he had given for a quarter of a century.

Instead, he said: "I am sorry it came to this.

"If we had got it right 20 plus years ago and not ratified the Maastricht Treaty, it would never have come to this."