Shrewsbury voted happiest place to live in West Midlands

“Of course there are challenges but I know we have the drive and ambition to make this borough a better place to live for everyone”, said Darren Rodwell.

Ipswich came third and York and Chester also made it onto the top five list.

Inverness: The city has been named the happiest place to live in Scotland.

According to a recent survey on homeowner satisfaction by Rightmove, Shrewsbury is the happiest place to live in the West Midlands, and the second happiest in Britain.

The answers of Harrogate residents saw the town ranked highest for safety, being proud of their home, and being happy with the general upkeep of the area.

Outside the town, residents are able to enjoy lush, peaceful countryside.

As popular with tourists as it is with residents, Harrogate is dotted with grand hotels and quaint tea rooms.

Harrogate also had a moment of mystery in 1926, when crime novelist Agatha Christie disappeared after leaving her Surrey home in 1926 and turned up several days later living in a hotel.

But in the survey by RightMove, the Queen of the English Riviera came top for people saying they are never stuck for recreational activities, compared with Paisley in Scotland which came bottom in this category.

House hunters on the lookout for friendly neighbours might want to search for a home in Llandrindod Wells – as the residents say that is where the most polite people live.

Rightmove’s housing expert Miles Shipside said: “How people define happiness obviously varies, which is why we’ve come up with a number of factors both inside the home and in the community, to reveal the most contented towns and cities in the UK”.