'Pretty, unspoilt and there’s loads going on': Shropshire border village named Britain's best kept secret

Situated just a 14-minute drive from Whitchurch and a stone's throw from the Welsh border, this nearby handsome hamlet has been named Britain's best "secret village".

In a list of 20 of the most "friendliest and prettiest under-the-radar spots to move to" the Sunday Times dubbed Malpas the best of the best.

The south Cheshire village ranked in first place, ahead of picturesque locations in Pembrokeshire, Warwickshire, Buckinghamshire and London.

The list was compiled by journalist Tim Palmer - one of the main judges and writers behind the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide.

He wrote: "With more than 6,000 villages in the UK of every shape, size and situation, there’s a community out there for anybody looking for life on a smaller scale. How do you find the one that’s right for you?

"This list should be a useful starting point, highlighting 20 villages that aren’t well known across the country but are always in demand among those in the know. They all have useful amenities, appealing locations and great communities — and often house prices that reflect their popularity."

Speaking of Malpas, he commended the "coveted corner of West Cheshire" for its hilltop church and "smattering of half-timbered houses" adding: "Malpas scores highly for looks as well as liveliness".

Speaking to The Times, Malpas resident Caroline Waterhouse said: "It’s pretty, unspoilt and there’s loads going on. There are great sports clubs and every group you can think of is here."

The article concluded: "Chester is a commutable 35-minute drive away, Liverpool and Manchester not too much further. Substantial five-bedroom new-builds fetch about £600,000.

"A top-of-the-range Georgian detached house will cost about £1 million, more if you need enough land for the horses — which you may well as this is an area with serious equestrian credentials, and not only because it’s where the former footballer Michael Owen has his racing stables."

The full list is as follows:

1. Malpas, Cheshire

2. Maenclochog, Pembrokeshire

3. Ebrington, Gloucestershire

4. The Hartings, West Sussex

5. Bishop Wilton, East Yorkshire

6. Broughton, Hampshire

7. Worstead, Norfolk

8. Hindon, Wiltshire

9. St Boswells, Borders

10. Nunhead, London SE15 and SE4

11. Blagdon, Somerset

12. Constantine, Cornwall

13. Longhoughton, Northumberland

14. Cilcain, Flintshire

15. Gaydon, Warwickshire

16. Whiteleaf, Buckinghamshire

17. Kingsbarns, Fife

18. Barlaston, Staffordshire

19. Ockham, Surrey

20. East Hanningfield, Essex