Eastbourne has been named as the most popular town for house hunting in the UK.

Property website propertyfinder.com said the town topped the popularity polls in May after rising from third place in April.

While some areas of the UK are seeing a fall in house prices, the Sussex coast market has remained buoyant with East Sussex towns dominating the UK property hotspots.

Brighton was not far behind Eastbourne, ranking at number 13 in the country, proving the South Downs area is a big draw.

Nicholas Leeming, Director of propertyfinder.com attributed Eastbourne's burgeoning popularity to its appeal to two distinct markets.

He said: "Eastbourne appeals to the retirement community who are relatively unaffected by the mortgage freeze as older buyers tend not to need to borrow.

"The housing slowdown may also be encouraging older buyers to bring forward plans to trade down the housing ladder, locking in gains on their larger homes in order to maximise their retirement nest eggs.

"Eastbourne is also well within commuting distance to London and appeals to younger families seeking a seaside location but wanting a London income.

"Again, trading down sooner rather than later may make sense for these people at the moment. Although Brighton is more popular with this group, Eastbourne appeals to a wider market."

Eastbourne Borough Council's Tourism Board recently launched a witty Change Your View publicity campaign on London billboards, designed to challenge its retirement resort stereotype.

Posters lining the London Underground contrast taglines such as "Meals on Wheels" and "Rest Home" with contrasting images of energetic young families.