ALLERDALE has been listed as one of the top five most affordable rural areas in the country in a new property survey.

The 2021 rural property report, carried out by Coulters, revealed the borough was the fifth most affordable area in England in terms of rural locations, with an average house price of £167,962.

However, Allerdale lost out to Copeland - the average price of £136,378 in the area was ranked as the second most affordable price in England, only behind County Durham.

The rest of the top five was rounded out by Wyre in third and Bassetlaw in fourth.

Coulters' report reflected a growing trend in people seeking out countryside living following the coronavirus crisis.

The report read: "Over the last year, we’ve seen an increasing amount of people relocating from cities to the countryside, due to factors such as more green space, fresher air and a slower pace of life.

"The average rural property price has risen by 20.8% in the last five years, a 3.3% higher increase than in urban areas. There was a particular increase (6.22%) in the price of rural properties between 2019 and 2020, as COVID-19 sparked rural relocations."