NEWS crews and international journalists descended upon Clacton as the General Election campaign heats up.

Reporters from the Washington Post and Switzerland’s RSI radio station were in Clacton, alongside Sky News and reporters from the Guardian, to interview election candidates.

Residents got used to the media circus during 2014’s high-profile by-election, but have been surprised to see news crews return in the build up to the election on June 8.

Maria Maturi, from RSI radio, said: “We are avidly following the General Election campaign.

“Because Clacton has meaning for Ukip, it makes this an important place to come to following the EU referendum. The people of Switzerland are interested to see what happens in Clacton.”

Conservative candidate Giles Watling said he has had press interest from as far away as Australia.

He said: “During the by-election there was a lot of international attention.

“But it’s quite surprising there is this much interest this time.

“I have had a lot of requests for interviews and we had journalists from the Washington Post and the Guardian following us as we delivered leaflets in the Hamford and Homelands wards.”

A Sky News crew and other reporters joined Ukip candidate Paul Oakley as he spoke to voters in Jaywick’s Brooklands.

Mr Oakley said: “This is the third General Election I have stood as a candidate. I also stood to be an MEP in London and as a councillor.

“But I have never seen so much press interest.

“It must be because the town voted 70 per cent for Brexit and this is a solid Eurosceptic area”

During his visit to Jaywick, Mr Oakley said that if elected as MP he would work with Tendring Council to tackle issues in Brooklands, which is officially the most deprived area in the country.

He said: “I have seen the plans for Jaywick and have a lot of respect for what the council is doing.

“Regeneration in Jaywick has got to be a cross-party thing.”

Resident Roy Traill, from Brooklands, spoke to Mr Oakley and journalists during the walkabout.

He said: “We’re used to seeing those benefits TV shows, but we only ever see film crews and politicians at election time.

“It was a surprise to see them here this time.”

  • Also standing for the Clacton seat at the General Election are: David Grace (Lib Dem), Nick Martin (Ind), Natasha Osben (Lab), Caroline Shearer (Ind), Chris Southall (Green) and Robin Tilbrook (English Democrats).