I visited a thriving Staffordshire village just a few minutes from Newport that's full of friendly locals

It's a historic town, with a record in the Domesday Book (although it's grown slightly from its population of 14 households back in 1086).

The long history means the village is home to almost a dozen listed buildings, including a 13th century church, a medieval farmhouse and several 16th century cottages.

Sitting on the A518 and boasting regular buses between the two towns, Haughton has all the convenience of town life wrapped up in a quaint village package.

Locals are surprisingly well catered for closer to home, though - with the rural village offering a primary school, general store with post office, hairdressers, chippy, motorcycle shop and two pubs. 

Of course, there's a village hall too, with a jam-packed calendar full of yoga, art classes, line dancing, coffee mornings and knit and stitch groups.

There's even a bi-weekly mobile library visit, with driver-slash-library assistant Kristian Molin setting up in the village hall car park for 45 minutes on a Monday morning.

"There's quite a lot here," said 62-year-old, Teresa Jones, who moved to the village two and a half years ago. 

"There's a good bus service, the church is very good and there are a few shops - not many villages have shops anymore, do they?"

11 months of the year, Haughton might seem like any of the other small towns and villages perched along commuter roads around rural Staffordshire and Shropshire - a peaceful place where neighbours nod hello in the street and life ticks by at a gentler pace.

But every December, thousands of visitors descend upon the tiny town to watch as residents light up their homes for Christmas. 

For more than two decades, Haughton's famous festive light displays have been raising money for local and national causes, including the local school's PTA, Katharine House Hospice and the Midlands Air Ambulance. 

Last year, generous donations from visitors raised more than £8,000 for the selected charities. 

"I think it's brilliant, it brings a lot of joy to a lot of people - makes them happy," Teresa said.

Andrew Cliff, who lives in Stafford but cares for his mum in the village, said: "It gets bigger and bigger and bigger every year, people spend a fortune, it's crazy.

"It's a nice community thing, it's one of those kinds of places. Everyone looks out for one another here. 

"People are happier when they live in a happy place, aren't they? No one says hello to you in Stafford, but everyone says hello to you here."