UKIP supporters have mocked a Conservative Party survey that asks Clacton by-election voters about their thoughts on "local" tube services.

The closest underground station to Clacton is almost 60 miles away in Upminster, and even most commuters catch the tube from London’s Liverpool Street station – about 80 miles away from the seaside resort.

The Tory party’s ‘Big Clacton Survey’ asked residents to rate local priorities that they would like their new MP to focus on, which includes “local train and tube service”.

A local UKIP spokesman joked: "It appears the Conservatives think Clacton is somewhere north of Notting Hill on the tube map."

The Clacton by-election was triggered following the defection of eurosceptic Tory MP Douglas Carswell to Ukip.

Mr Carswell will stand for Ukip at the election, which is expected to take place on October 9.

A spokesman for the Conservative Party said: "Conservatives are campaigning hard for Clacton and want to know the views of local residents.

“Thousands of journeys are made between Clacton and London every year, with residents using the tube when they get there, so it's an important issue to get their views on.

“It's surprising that as a Fulham resident himself Mr Carswell does not know the importance of the tube for travelling between London and Clacton."