Nigel Farage, the Ukip parliamentary candidate for Thanet South, has come under fire amid claims he doesn’t know where Sandwich is.

The leader of Ukip tweeted his congratulations to the medieval town this week for owning a copy of the Magna Carta.

He referred to “Sandwich, in Thanet” leading to a quick response from residents... who pointed out that Sandwich is not in Thanet.

Residents have also received a letter from Mr Farage inviting them to a meeting at the Guildhall.

The letter states that the people of Sandwich will be able to vote on the “make up of Thanet District Council” and this is one of the issues to be discussed at the meeting.

David Robertson, of St George’s Lees, said it is “appalling” the politician doesn’t know that Sandwich, an important part of the Thanet South constituency, comes under Dover District Council.

Mr Robertson said: “If a candidate doesn’t know basic things like that how on earth is he going to get on with all the local matters with an electoral campaign? It’s absolutely appalling that a letter should go out like this.”

Mr Robertson, 81, a member of Sandwich Rotary Club, added: “The first thing parliamentary candidates should do is get to know the area they are responsible for.

“Coming so soon after the disclosure by the Mercury of Ukip’s lack of knowledge as to where the South Thanet parliamentary boundaries are, it is more than a little worrying that this man, who has ambitions to be elected as a Member of Parliament, is unaware of who he seeks to represent.”

Mr Robertson’s wife, Gillian, 78, said the letter was “ludicrous.” She said it lists the issues which will be discussed at the meeting but does not mention Sandwich.

A spokesman for Nigel Farage said: “It’s in reference to the parliamentary constituencies in south and north Thanet which together people colloquially call Thanet.

“Obviously we understand there is a difference and to say we don’t know it [Sandwich] is in Dover is madness. The Thanet Ukip branch have been working there for decades.”

The spokesman explained Ukip is not hugely funded “like the Tories” and it costs money to print different letters to each area.

“If a candidate doesn’t know basic things like that how on earth is he going to get on with all the local matters with an electoral campaign?" - David Robertson

He added: “We will be speaking to many people in Sandwich this weekend and it should be interesting to hear if others picked up on it or if its just a few trouble-makers.”

The Mercury previously reported that Ukip supporters posted leaflets to residents in Betteshanger, the Dover and Deal constituency.

Martin Hill, a spokesman from Ukip South Thanet told the Mercury “a bit of over-enthusiasm took them over the border”

Will Scobie, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Thanet South, said: “Nigel Farage has shown through his comment and mistakes, that he doesn’t know the first thing about South Thanet.

“I have lived locally my entire life and been involved politically for five years here. I know exactly where Sandwich is and what the boundaries of the constituency are.”