TENS of thousands of Ayrshire locals will be the hardest hit by Brexit.

According to a new study, around one in five people will feel the bite of the UK leaving the European Union – which East, North and South Ayrshire all voted against.

The Brexit Vulnerability Index Map has been published by the Scottish Government to assess the areas in the country that are most at risk by the decision to leave the EU.

The dark green areas detail where’s expected to be the hardest hit.

The survey highlights that nearly 75,000 people in Ayrshire are included in the top 20 percent most vulnerable in Scotland.

With the figures of people affected adding up to 74,860, this equates to just over 30 percent of the Ayrshire’s population of 366,800 inhabitants.

To rub salt into the wounds, the results of the study are NOT based on a no-deal Brexit.

The map splits the country into 700 areas and rated each zone from one to ten, with the lower numbers highlighting those under the most threat.

The study by the Holyrood government has been based on factors such as access to services, Brexit workforce, Common Agricultural Policy payments (CAP), EU structural funding and income deprivation.

North Ayrshire is projected to be the most affected, with a total of 29,660 people in the local authority’s zones included in the most vulnerable 20 percent.

South Ayrshire is predicted to have 23,380 people badly impacted while East Ayrshire will see 21,820 people feeling the heat.