Two Powys towns have been named in the bottom third of the UK's best places to live - and been ranked behind Middlesbrough, Slough and Telford for their natural environment.

Garrington Property Finders compiled a list of the best towns to live in the UK and have named Newtown in the bottom 10 per cent towns to live in, while Welshpool was in the bottom third.

Newtown came in 1,321st out of 1,429 towns analysed, whilst Welshpool came in 1,183rd.

The company insists that the list does not reflect the worst places to live, saying: "The research only ranks the best places to live, so being included – whether at number 1 or number 1,429 – is to be applauded."

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Garrington “who offer a wide range of property related services for all of your home search requirements” based their analysis on ‘Natural Environment’, ‘Wellbeing’, ‘Heritage and Culture’, ‘Schools’, ‘Employment and Connectivity’, ‘House Price Quality and Value’ and ‘Average family home cost’.

Welshpool has the 925th best natural environment in the UK, the list says, while Newtown - with the River Severn snaking through it and its setting in the bosom of the Powys hills - was 1,026th. By comparison Middlesbrough was 654th, Slough 872nd, and Telford 148th.

Both towns were also down the list for their heritage, despite Welshpool's association with the fabulous Powis Castle, and Newtown being the home of the great social reformer Robert Owen.

The two other Powys towns that made the list fared much better with Llandrindod Wells coming in at 385th in the UK, while Brecon was named as the 288th best place to live.

In comparison the other major Welsh cities did quite well Wrexham beat both Newtown and Welshpool to come in 701st while Swansea 392nd and Cardiff came in 209th.

You can see how the Powys town compares to the rest of the country here.

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The best place to live in England and Wales, according to the list, is Twyford in Berkshire, the childhood home of the Princess of Wales.

Second was St Albans in Hertfordshire, and third was Epsom in Surrey.

The best place to live in the "Midlands" was listed as the Peak District town of New Mills, which is actually between Stockport and Sheffield.