Election fever was gripping the UK's American ex-pat community tonight as the voting progressed into the evening.

In London, many shops were decked out in the stars and stripes as the exiled Americans headed to bars to watch the results roll in.

At the All Star Lanes Ten Pin Bowling Club in west London there was more attention focused on the giant TV screens than the bowling lanes.

Nick Adasi, 30, from Maryland, said tonight's vote would be the most important to American history.

Mr Adasi, who works in finance, said: "If Obama becomes the next president, it will show that America is changing and progressing.

"Everyone had come to believe that the American dream was a fantasy. Having an African-American president will show that the dream will come true."

Mr Adasi, who voted by email for Mr Obama four weeks ago, said Sarah Palin's presence damaged the Republican campaign.

He explained: "Everyone is now just waiting for her to slip up. Her performance has just been comical."

Lara Still, a lawyer from New Jersey, said she was confident Mr Obama would win.

The 33-year-old said America's reputation had been battered during the presidency of George Bush and whoever won tonight would have a massive job to change the international perception of the country.

Ms Still, who also voted by email, said: "Republicans are a bit thin on the ground tonight.

"I'm just hoping Obama gets in. I'm confident he will."

Brothers Brian and Oliver Haugen said they have been impressed "by the presidential aura" of Mr Obama on the campaign trail.

Oliver, a 34-year-old climate change consultant, said: "Obama has been inspirational. When you talk to people here and back home, everyone has been impressed with how he has come across.

"He's generated a level of enthusiasm in the electorate that I just don't think has been seen before."

His brother Brian, 30, who works for a sports agency, said Mr Obama's most difficult task if he won would be to handle public expectation.

He said: "Everything that he has done so far has been perfect but if he gets in he is bound to make some mistakes, that's just the nature of it when you start, but I think he will go on to be an inspirational president."

Over 500 people packed Yates' wine bar in Leicester Square to watch the drama unfold.

But amongst the mainly American crowd, Republicans were extremely thin on the ground.

Bostonian Anne Hoy, a 63-year-old retired senior manager for a FTSE company, said she expected Mr Obama to win but could understand Mr McCain's appeal to some voters.

She said: "John McCain is a great patriot, he was a prisoner of war, he always puts the country first.

"He has years of experience that Obama doesn't have. He was a maverick for many years and was well liked by his colleagues in the Senate.

"And what John McCain did that very few senators had the moral authority to do was to denounce what was going on in Guantanamo Bay."

She added that Mr McCain's running mate Sarah Palin also had a broad appeal to many Americans.

She explained: "At the Republican convention she brought to life what would be a dead event.

"She was an unknown but like Obama a very good public speaker and she set the place on fire.

"It's easy to forget that there are many women who find her attractive as a candidate and as a person."

Despite being very much in the minority Eric Christensen, a strategic analyst from California, said he was proud to have supported Mr McCain.

The 41-year-old said he couldn't vote for Mr Obama because of his policies.

He said: "I don't want to support a President who's going to raise taxes."

He said George Bush's tenure had done the Republican campaign a "disservice" and denied that Mrs Palin has become a liability.

He said: "She wouldn't negotiate with terrorists like Obama would."

He acknowledged Mr Obama was a good orator but claimed much of his success was down to the amount of money raised during his campaign.

A number of events celebrating the election are being held across London.

Students at the London School of Economics are holding an all-night party until the final result is known.

Many of the clubs and bars are holding invitation only election events.

Broadcaster Mark Steel said an Obama win would send a much needed message to the rest of the world.

He said: "This election is so important for so many reasons.

"If Obama doesn't win millions and millions of people around the world will draw the conclusion that there is nothing you can do to redress injustice.

"If he wins that's just a signal to people that they can change things."

He added that Obama's rise to power could not have taken place without the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and the recent anti-war movement.