Where is the happiest place to live in Britain?

The happiest place to live in the UK is the seaside town of Leigh-on-Sea, new research shows.

It took top spot in the Rightmove annual Happy at Home Index for its strong community spirit and sense of belonging.

The ripple effect of rising house prices out from London to the commuter belt has led to a 15% increase in asking prices in Leigh-on-Sea over the past year to £384,439.

In second place was Troon in Scotland, while Harrogate, the winner for the past three years has fallen to third.

The study asked 24,000 people across Britain to rank twelve factors about their local area, ranging from how friendly the neighbours are and how much people feel that they can be themselves, to how good the local services are.

Abiola Oni, Rightmove’s research manager, said: “Well it seems the saying that we do like to ‘be beside the seaside’ is true, whether you’re down in the South East or up in Scotland.

“Obviously what ‘happy’ means to different people can vary greatly, but when you compare which factors score highest in the happiest areas, it shows just how important having friendly people in the local community area is alongside the services and amenities, which is something buyers often tell us when they are looking in new areas to live.

“Space is also one of the most important things when people are looking for a new home, so it’s not surprising that places with open spaces such as beautiful parks and beaches have featured in the top ten.”