A US congressional candidate has used a picture of Jaywick to show what could happen if voters do not back President Trump.

The campaign advert for Republican Dr Nick Stella used the image of the village, near Clacton, to attack a Democrat opponent.

It includes the text: "Help President Trump keep America on track and thriving," and "only you can stop this from becoming a reality".

The Facebook campaign post has received angry criticism from locals as well as Tendring District Council bosses.

Republican Dr Stella is standing in the 11th Illinois congressional district in the US mid-term elections against Bill Foster.

Jaywick was listed as the most deprived neighbourhood in England in 2010 and 2015, according to the Government's deprivation index.

But since then Essex County Council has completed a £6.5m programme to improve the roads and drainage.

Paul Honeywood, Tendring District Council cabinet member with special responsibility for Jaywick, said it was "appalling" to use the image for political gain in this way.

He said: “For starters, Dr Stella is very out of date – Essex County Council completed a two-year £6.5million programme to improve the roads and drainage in Jaywick Sands in 2017.

“Since the old image used in this campaign poster was taken, support from Government, Essex County Council and other bodies has helped to build upon the work we as a council were already doing to improve the quality of life for residents.

“Now we have new roads, new high quality council homes for local people being built alongside approved plans for top quality apartments overlooking the sea. All supported by a Government-backed project group looking at financing investment in the area. Positive plans for Jaywick Sands, a community that’s on the up."

He added: “I know that many Jaywick Sands residents will be outraged at being smeared in this way and rightly so.

“Perhaps Dr Stella would like to come down and visit Jaywick Sands to learn about how we really get things done, rather than engaging in this sort of negative campaigning?”

Raquel Mitchell, Dr Stella's campaign director of operations, said it was never an intention to smear Jaywick and the settlement was not named.

She said: "We have learned and it is great to know the town pictured has recovered from economic hardship. Let it serve as an an example of how government responding to the needs of the people can overcome hardship. May those days remain well behind us.

"I'm sure Jaywick Sands is charming. Perhaps a future visit would be a great way to exchange ideas between the two areas."