‘I say where I’m from and they tell me they’re sorry’: growing up in the most deprived place in England

The faded resorts and coastal towns of Tendring in Essex offer few job opportunities but many of its 20-somethings are set on finding their way in an area with one of England's oldest populations

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• Photographs by Polly Braden

The village where 22-year-old Millicent has lived all her whole life is often her most closely guarded secret - at least until first impressions have been established. It's almost like a superpower," she says. I wait until people are comfortable with me, and then I'll do the big reveal."

It doesn't matter where she goes, the story is always the same. I'll go to meet new friends and at some point I'll tell them I'm from Jaywick," says Millicent. And it's as if they go through the five stages of grief. They'll say: Oh, you're not ... oh, I'm so sorry'."

Kyle, Matt and Finn at Jaywick's Martello Tower, now an arts site