Hitchin is one of the happiest places to live in the UK, according to a survey by property search website Rightmove.

The market town was ranked 9th overall in the study, which asked 24,000 people across the country to rank 12 factors about their local area – from how friendly their neighbours are and how much people feel that they can be themselves, to how good the local services are.

Hitchin was ranked seventh for how much people feel that they can be themselves, and 10th for community spirit.

Top of the pile overall was Leigh-on-Sea in Essex, while Hertford was the highest ranked town in Herts at number four.

Another Herts town in the top 50 was St Albans, which was placed in 37th.

Baldock, Biggleswade and Letchworth all don’t feature in the survey, but Stevenage was 155th.

Bottom of the pile was Barking and Dagenham, ranked 206th.