CHAGFORD has been named one of the most desirable places to live on the Sunday Times' 101 Best Places to live in Britain list.

The list uses a combination of data and statistics including school performance, house prices and crime rates to compile the list.

Neil Tappenden helps run VisitChagford.com, a tourist website launched in 2012 helping visitors plan their stay in the area. Neil has lived all around the world, and moving to Chagford was the 33rd time he moved house. He heard about the town through a similar list naming it as a desirable place to live.

He said: 'Having lived in many different places there are very very few places like Chagford which has got the balance just right. The town's secret is that it is a quirk of demographics, where the town has the right mix of age groups in a relatively small town.

'There is a very different mix of age groups, and a very strong community spirit, with lots of activities going on all the time that brings the town together.

'Community groups running activities like the pantomime, carnival, film festival and open mic nights cross over and offer people a lot of things to get involved with. There are also few places with the wealth of independent stores that Chagford has. Besides buying spectacles, there is nothing you need to leave Chagford to buy, we are that well covered. It has the balance just right.'

Alexis Bowater, director of Bowater Communications, is from Chagford. She expressed her surprise that Chagford was only just finding its way onto the list for the first time, and felt it was well worthy of the accolade.

She said: 'It's an extraordinary place filled with extraordinary people set in an extraordinarily beautiful natural environment.

'The physical beauty of the land, the buildings and topography are matched by an astonishing community of, in the main, harmonious and creative people.'

Among the other places named on the list from the Westcountry is Falmouth, which finished fourth on the overall list, Totnes, Wadebridge, and Fowey.

Sunday Times homes editor Helen Davies said: 'The Best Places guide is dedicated to celebrating Britain's abundance of great cities, towns and villages.

'We combine in-depth data with first-hand personal experience to produce an authoritative list.'