A Sussex town has been named as one of the best places in the country to raise a family, a new survey has found.

New research found that Hastings was the fifth most family friendly town in the UK based on housing affordability and the cost of childcare, among other factors.

The survey also found that the town had a high number of Outstanding schools in the area as well as a low crime rate compared to other areas in the study.

Brighton was also found to have one of the highest rates of Outstanding schools in the country, with 38.8 per cent of schools scoring top marks.

Despite the high scores, the city did not rank in the top 50 family friendly cities in the survey.

Ashton Berkhauer, personal finance expert at survey commissioner MoneySuperMarket, said: “While house prices will still play a key role, being close to good schools and local amenities will likely have more of a sway when deciding on a location, as well other things such as proximity to family and friends who might be able to help with reducing the reliance on professional childcare.”