PARTS of Essex are a hotbed of infidelity, according to fresh figures released by an adulterer website. 

Postal data from the website IllicitEncounters.com, shows the county has seven towns in the top 150 most adulterous places in the country.

People in Clacton are the most likely to cheat, with 594 people - just under 2 per cent of the adult population - in the market for an affair. 

Colchester also falls into the top 150, at number 99, with 804 people showing an interest in having an affair.

The north Essex town is followed by Rayleigh at 119th, with 511 people looking for some action, and Brentwood, at 109th, where 320 people are said to be having an affair. 

However, in the other end of the scale, Southend and Basildon are two of the most faithful towns in the country, ranking 134th and 129th respectively. 

Indeed Southend is the most faithful in the region. 

The postal data of adulterers on IllicitEncounters.com is mapped against the adult population of each town, giving an overall percentage of cheating adults, along with each town's overall number of adulterers.

The site’s spokesperson, Christian Grant, said: “Some Essex towns are certainly living up to their reputation.

"With people outside of the region viewing Essex as a place of promiscuity, having no less than seven towns in the top 150 most adulterous towns in the country certainly supports that point of view.

“However, Southend-On-Sea, Basildon and Rayleigh in particular are doing a good job of shattering that myth, instead showing the rest of the UK that they’re to be trusted.

“Towns like Clacton-On-Sea and Grays can look at their neighbours and learn a thing or two"

To find out where your town sits in the league table, go to www.infidelityindex.co.uk.

The lay of the land in other Essex towns 

Brightlingsea 446

West Mersea 322

Harwich 320

Halstead 318

Frinton 138

Walton 66

Canvey Island 504

Wickford 279

Chelmsford 1413

Braintree 934

Witham 531

Maldon 525

Harlow 457

Epping 444

Great Dunmow 439

Billericay 392

Burnham-On-Crouch 198