Three areas in the North East have been named among the best places to live in the country.
The Howardian Hills, in North Yorkshire, have topped a list of 10 locations in the North chosen by The Sunday Times to represent the best of Britain in the annual Best Places to Live guide.
Also included inthe table are Alnwick and Corbridge, in Northumberland, as well as Tynemouth, in North Tyneside.
The Sunday Times’s expert judges assessed a range of factors, from schools, transport and broadband speed to culture, green spaces and the health of the high street to produce the definitive guide to the UK's finest locations to call home.
The judges travelled thousands of miles around the country, visiting the locations and talking to locals. They looked for improving towns, villages or city centres, for attractive, well designed homes, and locations bursting with community spirit.
The guide also used robust and exclusive statistics, including up-to-date house prices, provided by mortgage company Habito and TwentyCi.
And they concluded that the three North East locations were worthy of note.
The experts said average properties cost £220,000 in Alnwick, £325,000 in Corbridge and £159,950 in Tynemouth.
Meanwhile, rent was on average £525 a month in both Alnwick and Tynemouth, and £675 in Corbridge.
Helen Davies, The Sunday Times Home editor, said: "Our advice is simple. Think about everything you love and everything you hate, then make sure you have access to the good things while minimising exposure to the bad ones. And we’re here to help.
"Never has where you live felt more important. This year we have, along with house prices, air quality, good schools and access to green spaces, championed locations that have showcased great community spirit.
"The feeling of involvement in and concern for one's local community is being challenged — and celebrated — as never before. We wish everyone well wherever they live."
The other six in the regional list, which covers the North East as well as Yorkshire, are Beverley in East Yorkshire, Roundhay in Leeds, Ripon in North Yorkshire, York, Saltaire in West Yorkshire and Ranmoor in Sheffield.
The country's overall winner is to be revealed on Sunday, when the full guide will be published in The Sunday Times - and in much more detail online at sundaytimes.co.uk/bestplacestolive.
