South Northamptonshire in top 10 most desirable rural places to live in UK

The Crown, a village pub in desirable Helmdon, south Northamptonshire

And it is one of just two places - along with Rushcliffe in Nottinghamshire - from outside the south-east or south of England with Waverley in Surrey heading the list compiled by the Halifax.

Nearly a third (16) of the 50 local authority districts with the highest quality of life were in the South East while the East of England claimed 13 spots and the East Midlands had 11, including East Northamptonshire at number 26.

Of the remainder, five places went to the South West, three to Yorkshire and the Humber and two were taken by the West Midlands.

Here are the top 50 rural areas in Britain with the best quality of life, according to Halifax:

1. Waverley, South East

2. Uttlesford, East of England

3. East Hertfordshire, East of England

4. Chiltern, South East

5. Maldon, East of England

6. South Cambridgeshire, East of England

7. Rushcliffe, East Midlands

8. Vale of White Horse, South East

9. South Northamptonshire, East Midlands

10. South Oxfordshire, South East

11. Rutland, East Midlands

12. Mid Sussex, South East

13. Aylesbury Vale, South East

14. East Cambridgeshire, East of England

15. West Oxfordshire, South East

16. East Dorset, South West

17. Tandridge, South East

18. Harborough, East Midlands

19. Suffolk Coastal, East of England

20. West Berkshire, South East

21. Tonbridge and Malling, South East

22. South Kesteven, East Midlands

23. St Edmundsbury, East of England

24. Huntingdonshire, East of England

25. Wychavon, West Midlands

26. East Northamptonshire, East Midlands

27. New Forest, South East

28. Wealden, South East

29. Test Valley, South East

30. East Hampshire, South East

31. Mid Suffolk, East of England

32. North Kesteven, East Midlands

33. Selby, Yorkshire and the Humber

34. South Norfolk, East of England

35. Melton, East Midlands

36. Shepway, South East

37. Babergh, East of England

38. Tewkesbury, South West

39. East Riding of Yorkshire, Yorkshire and the Humber

40. Broadland, East of England

41. Cotswold, South West

42. Hambleton, Yorkshire and the Humber

43. Cherwell, South East

44. Malvern Hills, West Midlands

45. Hinckley and Bosworth, East Midlands

46. Forest Heath, East of England

47. Newark and Sherwood, East Midlands

48. Wiltshire, South West

49. Purbeck, South West

50. West Lindsey, East Midlands