Chew Valley named south west's best place to live

Chew Valley's beautiful landscape was praised by the judges

The Chew Valley in North Somerset has been named the best place to live in the south west of England by The Times.

The region pipped seven other places to the top spot including Hotwells and Cliftonwood in Bristol, Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire and Malmesbury, Wiltshire.

Sunday Times Best Places to Live judges praised its "combination of beautiful landscapes and forward-thinking rural enterprises."

Saffron Walden in Essex was named the overall best place to live in the UK.

Judges added that in the Chew Valley: "Community is to the fore in its picture-perfect villages and the proximity of Bristol brings creative energy and keeps the buzz and convenience of the city within easy reach."

Laura Davies from Valley Arts in Chew Valley told the BBC: "There's lots going on - we've got plenty of places to socialise and amenities on our doorstep and events going on, but equally you're also in the middle of beautiful countryside where we can go for lovely walks."

Community events like the annual Chew Magna Duck Race are central to Chew Valley life

Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire was also praised as one of the best places to live.

"The community spirit in this pretty town of golden stone properties with a splash of thatch and a dash of timber  is both charitable and seriously fun," said the judges.

Hotwells and Cliftonwood in Bristol was said to offer "a nice mix of houses, not too much passing traffic and a superlative community spirit, where volunteering is a big part of life."

While Malmesbury in Wiltshire had "a good choice of properties, good connections, and a creative, energetic community, making Malmesbury a reliable place to settle down and raise a family rather than just somewhere to gaze at the magnificent abbey and the hilltop views of timeless countryside."

The Sunday Times Best Places to Live is produced annually.