HALSTEAD has been named as once of the nicest towns to live in the county, according to property experts.

The town has beaten many others in mid and north Essex and is now ranked as one of the top places to live in the UK for 2021.

Property experts Garrington ranked 1,372 towns for a definitive league table of post-Covid property hotspots.

Locations were scored on their proximity to open water, national parks and areas of outstanding beauty, the number of listed and period homes, air quality, crime figures and the number of farm shops within three miles.

Bath, in Somerset, took first place, thanks to its architecture and nearby rolling hills and open spaces.

But amazingly Halstead managed to come in 107th on the list, making it the county’s best town to live in.

Garrington ranked the town in 310th for its natural beauty and 199th for architectural beauty.

Quality of life was also ranked 189th.

The price of homes in Halstead also pushed it up the rankings, with the average family home costing between £350,000 and £650,000.

This put it in 72nd place out of 605 towns in its price band.

Nearby mid Essex towns Braintree and Witham failed to make the list, while Maldon finished 580th.

Closest to Halstead was Colchester, which came an impressive 172nd for such a large town.

Neighbouring Sudbury also did well, coming in 29th place.

While the verdict may come as a surprise for some residents, Halstead’s MP James Cleverly says seeing the town recognised as one of the best in England and Wales wasn’t too surprising.

He said: “I’m pleased, but not surprised, that Halstead ranks so highly.

“There’s a wonderful sense of community, a high street with real character, flowers almost everywhere you look.

“It’s a bit of a hidden gem, but I’m glad it’s getting recognition now.”

Halstead in Bloom secretary Julia Smith added: “We have some beautiful countryside, plenty of places to walk and keep socially distanced.

“The town has many independent shops and lots of places to socialise.

“We have a great community spirit, and a network of volunteer efforts.

“What’s not to like?

“Of course there are now plans to ‘revamp’ the town centre and I’m sure this will show off our great heritage to full advantage.”