Old Leigh is an area full of unique character and charm and welcomes thousands of tourists and locals every year. 

But some visitors haven’t quite enjoyed their trip to the coast as much as the rest of us.

Some have even taken to Tripadvisor to express their distaste and leave some pretty harsh - but hilarious - reviews.

So here are five of Old Leigh's toughest critics and why they weren’t quite so keen:

'The most overrated place in England'

This reviewer didn't have the best trip...

They said: "Leigh used to be a charming place to visit, it is now overcrowded overpriced, no where to park full of posers and upwardly mobile yuppies ,yummy mummies drinking lates while there stockbroking husband is in the city paying for it.

"A really charmless place, a real shame as it used to be lovely, probably bearable in the winter when less crowded but still full of Essex chavs." 

View was just 'a load of mud'

Our next reviewer had a better time but still found a few flaws. 

They said: "It was just a really odd little street few pubs a tea room and a few cobbles.

"We followed it to the end where it went into a single path along a railway line which we walked for a while getting out the way for the joggers. stopping in shelters to admire the view whist dodging the broken bottles in the shelter.

"I say view but it was a load of mud where the tide was out but I did enjoy looking at the wader birds hunting in the mud for food. also read a great recipe which was wrote in the shelter to make a chilli."

'Clear up the litter'

Litter is the scourge of many a seaside town and Old Leigh is no expection but this reviewer was hoping for more.

They said: "Old Leigh is pretty and interesting but the walk to it is full of litter.

"Would it not be possible for them to clear up and /or put in CCTV to catch people who have dumped bags full of rubbish."

'Perhaps it is me that has it wrong' 

This reviewer wasn't quite sure what people see in the area. 

They said: "People rave about Old Leigh, the pubs and the shellfish sheds that sell overpriced local seafood that mostly doesn't come from Leigh or anywhere near.

"The pubs often have an aggressive feel. The area attracts many people on a sunny day so perhaps its me that has got it wrong."

'Toilets were overflowing with water​'

This reviewer had a better time but was left disappointed by the toilets.

The review said: "Old Leigh is a lovely place to visit and learn about its history and culture, some lovely old buildings like the Custom House and the Leigh Society Museum, the cockle sheds, the only disappointment was the public toilets at the end of the high street near the beach which were overflowing with water, smelt and not particularly clean."

Read more >> 'A hungry alligator's mouth is better' - 5 harsh reviews of Southend seafront

Thankfully, harsh reviews of Old Leigh are few and far between and there are plenty of positive ones out there.

On Tripadvisor alone, there are dozens of flattering and nice comments which prove people's experience is on the whole, a good one. 

One recent review said: "What a hidden gem , loved the quaint little streets and the lovely shops we found a traditional fish bar which sold cockles, mussels, whelks, prawns and jellied eels , we had a half pint of cockles with vinegar and pepper and sat and ate them at a table facing the sea lovely!"

Another added: "Old Leigh has upped its image and is popular with all ages. Lots of places to stop for drinks and food as well as a small beach and a flat walk to chalkwell and beyond."