Voting is under way in Myanmar's general election - the first openly contested poll in 25 years after decades of military rule.

The ruling Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP), backed by the military, is one of the frontrunners.

Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) is expected to make large gains, although she is barred from running for the presidency.

Large crowds gathered in Yangon as Ms Suu Kyi arrived to cast her vote.

Across the country, long queues formed at some polling booths, with reports of people queuing from long before dawn.

"I've done my bit for change, for the emergence of democracy," one voter, former teacher Daw Myin, told Reuters.

About 30 million people are eligible to vote in the election in Myanmar (also known as Burma).

Clear results are not expected until Monday morning.

(BBC)