ASHFORD has been nominated as the worst town in Britain.

The Idler magazine has embarked on a search of the country's 50 worst towns, and puts Ashford on the map of "crap" towns, dismissing the place as "dreadful".

A tie-in book, due to be published in October, will announce the winner of the nationwide search.

The description of Ashford reads: "Ashford is where the girls have earrings like hula hoops which leave green marks on their skin.

"In fact, it is widely rumoured that Ordnance Survey was considering including the prefix 'TR' to distinguish it from the Ashford on the other side of the M25, creating a clearer and more appropriate name, 'Trashford'."

Council leader Paul Clokie defended the town, saying: "It's an unbelievable insult on our lovely girls."

And Ashford's MP Damian Green added: "I think everyone in Ashford should treat this entry with amused contempt.

"If anyone gets upset about it, they should see what the book says about Hythe, Dover, Herne Bay and Margate."