There is another reason to be merry this Christmas as it has been announced Uttlesford residents enjoy some of the best quality of life in the countryUttle

People’s health, well-being and life expectancy, along with employment, broadband connection and crime rates were all taken into consideration for the Halifax survey, which ranked the district sixth.

Even though Uttlesford dropped four places from second last year, the results found that residents do have the best quality of life in the East of England.

MP for Uttlesford, Sir Alan Haselhurst, said: “It is a delightful rural area. We have two very decent market towns and a few other small towns and villages. We have lots of green spaces, it is a very good place to live. It would have better to be top but to still be in the top few is very important.”

One of the reasons the area is one of the most desirable places to live is that residents, along with those in Chiltern, South Buckinghamshire and Rutland, benefit from some of the biggest houses in the country with an average of 6.4 habitable rooms.

Leader of Uttlesford District Council (UDC) Howard Rolfe said: “It is good to be recognised. It is nice to come first but still good to be recognised.

“The trouble with being second is it is difficult to maintain. To be in the top half a dozen is still very good.”

He added: “Uttlesford is a beautiful blend of a friendly place to live with good facilitates. We have a high number of Listed buildings and other points of historic interest. We are a very friendly group in the district with a great volunteering tradition.”

The annual Halifax Quality of Life Survey, which is in it’s ninth year, also factors in the weather and personal wellbeing.

For the fourth year in a row Hart, in Hampshire, kept the crown of being the most desirable place to live. Other areas in the East of England that made the list were South Cambridgeshire, which came 13th, and Huntingdonshire, which climbed 72 spots to 18th in the table.