WINCHESTER has lost its title as the UK's best place to live in the annual quality of life survey.

Hart, in North East Hampshire, has come out on top in the study, with Winchester moving down to fifth.

Completing the top five best places to live was the Orkney Islands in Scotland, which took second place, followed by Rutland in the East Midlands and Wychavon in Worcestershire.

The study looked at a range of factors to determine the places with the best quality of life, including life expectancy, health, employment rates, crime, education, broadband access, population densities and the weather.

Hart has come out on top five times in the last six years in the Halifax Quality of Life Survey.

Last year, Winchester was that the employment rate was significantly higher than the national average, while gross weekly earnings of £824 were 27% higher than the UK average at £646.

But Hart managed to rocket up the rankings after it dropped to 26th position last year. 

Russell Galley, managing director at Halifax, said: "Along with Hart, many areas in southern England score strongly in categories including the labour markets and health.

"Northern areas tend to perform well on education and benefit from more affordable properties with lower house prices to earnings."

Test Valley also snuck into the top 50, finishing 49th.