Watch: I visited Britain’s best 'secret village' and found a beautiful place I didn't want to leave

Tucked away in the Cheshire countryside near the Welsh border and just a 14-minute drive from the market town of Whitchurch, Malpas has been given top spot by the Sunday Times in its list of the "friendliest and prettiest under-the-radar spots to move to".

Long-time residents have watched the south Cheshire settlement grow in size and population as new houses have been built, but despite this, the area has kept its character and heritage throughout.

Arriving in the village, you understand immediately why it has been rated so highly and is loved by those who venture there. Malpas has become a hotspot for cyclists, bikers and tourists due to its beautiful scenery and pretty village centre.

Being offered good parking and public toilets was a wonderful welcome, and I noticed the cleanliness of the area. Bins are dotted around the village.

It has shops, cafés, takeaways, a hairdressers, laundrette, schools, a restaurant and hotel, a dentist and a surgery, spacious recreational grounds that were being mowed by a vintage tractor, the stunning St Oswald's Parish Church, and excellent sports facilities.

One building that struck me was the Old Fire Station café/bar which has kept its original features outside, and is impressive through its door. The old village fire station's offerings include breakfast, cakes, lunches, evening meals, cocktails and milkshakes as well as quiz nights that bring the community together.

The Old Fire Station is unsurprisingly "hugely" popular amongst cyclists as well as locals and visitors, and owner of more than eight years Jake Polmear loves the village he lives in.

"It's a great place to live, it's lovely, and as villages go it's pretty well served and has got almost everything you could need," said the bistro owner.

"You're on the doorstep of Whitchurch, so if you need a big supermarket then you have them there."

Adding: "We knew they [the Sunday Times] were doing a feature on Malpas, but we didn't know they were doing this top 20.

"I wasn't surprised to see us in the newspaper, but very surprised that Malpas had been picked out as the number one."

The Old Fire Station owner also explained his reason for moving to the village was the "fantastic" local school, Bishop Heber High School.

"There's a fantastic school which is the main anchor for people, and why I moved here, and a lot of people do. It's a very good school."

Take a walk down the High Street and you will pass several period properties with beautiful features before arriving at the The Lion, a four-star hotel.

Each property in Malpas is unique in its own way, with Tudor, Georgian and modern buildings throughout, offering great variety for the architecturally inclined.

Rightmove says properties listed for sale in Malpas over the last year have had an overall average price of £444,557.

I'm going to have to get saving, because it's somewhere I would certainly love to live, as I'm sure many Brits would too. I was intrigued to discover the village's sporting facilities as, for me, the Malpas Sports and Social Club completed this wonderful place.

Passing several beautiful houses on the way, I arrived at the club featuring stunning and long-reaching views over surrounding countryside, and enjoyed watching the groundsman cut the football pitch with an old tractor and mower.

Chairman of the sports and social club for more than 30 years is Mike Bradley, who has lived in Malpas 'all of his life'.

The 73-year-old said: "You wouldn't want to go anywhere else really. The village has grown as people have come to the village, and houses have been built.

"It's as large as it's ever been.

"I wouldn't go anywhere else."

Similarly, the village's recreational grounds offer a fantastic space for children and families, and is a stone's throw from Malpas Alport Endowed Primary School.

I agree with the residents that the village has everything you need, and Malpas' offerings justify its ranking by the Sunday Times. It's just a shame I live more than an hour away, or else I would be a frequent visitor to the picturesque village.