Berkshire named the second friendliest county in UK

Having friends and family nearby is the main factor

Berkshire has been voted the second friendliest place to live in the UK, as 62 per cent of its residents said that their community is either 'quite' or 'very' friendly.

More than half (51 per cent) of the UK said that having friends and family nearby is the main factor in creating an ideal community, with the number rising to 54 per cent in Berkshire, according to research from Audley Villages published today.

More people living in Berkshire think their community is very or quite friendly than any other county apart from Buckinghamshire (64 per cent).

Community is important – 51 per cent of Brits think having close friends nearby makes the ideal community, and that rises to 54 per cent in Berkshire.

More than a third of Berkshire residents claim nothing could improve their home town.

More than a quarter (26 per cent) of Brits think their current community is friendlier than the one where they grew up, and that goes up to 34 per cent in Berkshire.

Other desirable characteristics of the perfect community for Berkshire inhabitants include regular activities (40 per cent), community groups (30 per cent) and volunteering schemes (25 per cent).

Nearly nine in 10 (89 per cent) Brits have moved away from the community in which they grew up, rising to 92 per cent of those aged 55 and over.