Winkleigh best in country for bringing up children

Low crime rate and good primary school put village at the top of the list

WINKLEIGH has come out top in a survey to find the best place for families to bring up children in England and Wales. Another North Devon Village, Shebbear, is placed sixth.

Statistics were acquired from 2,400 postcode areas for the Family Friendly Hotspots survey, conducted on behalf of financial solutions company, Family Investments.

Data gathered included crime statistics, childcare costs, earnings, property prices, education and lifestyle factors.

Wnkleigh came first thanks to a winning combination of extremely low crime figures, excellent Key Stage 2 results and relatively affordable property prices averaging �150,837.

The survey, published today (Monday) describes Winkleigh as a vibrant Devon village. It goes on: It has a butcher’s shop, a wet fish shop, general stores, a vets and a doctor’s surgery.

“There is also a lively community centre, a village hall and a sports centre. The local primary school has excellent attainment at Key Stage 2, with results above the national average.

“The village also has very low levels of crime compared to the national average, especially of anti-social behaviour.

“In terms of property prices and affordability, salaries in Winkleigh are well above the national average at �37,566 while the average value of a two-bedroomed property is below the national average, suggesting that property in the area is relatively affordable.�

Shebbear is described as a thriving community. The survey says: “Crime is very low as you might expect due to its rural location. It has a thriving village community with a schedule of activities provided at the local village hall and the local primary school, which has excellent results at Key Stage 2, is a real focal point of village life.�