New research has named Essex as the Viagra county of Britain.

Colchester and Chelmsford came second and third in a libido league table based on sales of the impotency drug across the country.

The people of the oldest recorded town account for 3.6 per cent of all sales with residents of the county town accounting for 3.4 per cent.

In the first study of its kind Norwich was named as the number one Viagra capital, accounting for four per cent of sales.

Tesco, which sold £1 million worth of the prescription drug last year, carried out a survey to see where in the country Viagra was most popular.

Before ordering a new batch, supermarket officials wanted to see which stores sold the most and least and where the demand was most likely to increase.

A Tesco spokesman said buyers were less inhibited about buying the love drug than they were in the past.

He said: "Viagra is becoming increasingly popular now the novelty has worn off.

"Our pharmacies have reported that customers are very open about buying it whereas a year ago they might have waited for a quiet moment before asking."

David Prior, practice manager at Wells Clinic in Duke Street, Chelmsford, said: "The main people that are using it are aged about 55 to 60 - the correct people.

"We are getting genuine usage. We're not getting lots of people coming along for a laugh.

"I don't know whether it's the fact that Essex men are more forward and more willing to address the problem."

Mr Prior said he suspected men from other parts of the country, such as the north, were less prepared to acknowledge problems of impotence.

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