Republican apologises for using 'out of date' image of Essex town to demonstrate being 'overburdened by poor governance'

A Republican candidate has apologised after using a picture of a seaside village in Essex in an attempt to woo voters to back President Donald Trump in the midterm elections.

The image posted on Dr Nick Stella's Facebook campaign page shows an old image of Jaywick Sands, a seaside village near Clacton in Essex.

The village once topped a government list of the most deprived towns in 2015.

Raquel Mitchell, spokeswoman for Dr Stella said in a statement: "Our intent was never to smear the town in the photo, now known to us as Jaywick Sands in Essex.

"We never used the name. For us it was an example of a town overburdened by poor governance, which is exactly what we in our district are seeking to prevent at every level."

Tendring District Council criticised the Republican's use of the "out of date" image citing a two-year £6.5 million programme used to improve the roads and drainage.

Paul Honeywood, a Council Cabinet Member told ITV News: “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?”

Dr Stella's campaign poster shows derelict houses and a road with ditches under the slogan 'only you can stop this from becoming a reality'.

A smaller caption attacking Dr Stella's opponent reads "A vote for Foster is a vote for a speaker Pelosi. We can't go back to foreclosures, unemployment and economic recession."

The Republican Candidate for Illinois has since taken down his Facebook campaign page.