By Frankie Peck and Sophie Brooks

HE is the ultimate Hampshire heart-throb – tall, dark and handsome and the perfect gentleman.

Now Hollywood favourite Colin Firth, who grew up in Winchester, has been voted Britain’s best-looking bloke – even beating two James Bonds to the title.

Sexy Colin, 50, topped the poll ahead of second-placed actor Rupert Everett. Clive Owen and comic Russell Brand came third and fourth.

The news that the Hampshire hunk wowed women to scoop top place emerged yesterday after about 1,500 women cast their votes in a survey.

The former pupil of Barton Peveril College in Eastleigh earned the lust of millions of fans and shot to stardom when he emerged dripping wet from a lake, as Jane Austen’s hero Mr Darcy, in the BBC’s adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.

Daniel Craig, who debuted as Bond in Casino Royale in 2006, came fifth while Sir Sean Connery, who first played the part of Bond in Dr No in 1962 was voted ninth.

Sally Allen, of Wizard Jeans, which commissioned the survey, said: “A handsome profile may be heaven-sent but looking good is usually a much more down-to-earth process, concerned with grooming and making the most of your natural attractiveness.

“I’ve heard girls talking about Colin Firth’s brooding good looks when they are probably referring to his demeanour, grooming and image. And that’s something you can work on.

“But it’s unlikely that many men will be able to recreate the magical moment when Mr Darcy came out of a lake, dripping wet – yet positively perfect and sexy – making all the women watching take a very deep breath.”

As well as the usual suspects, including David Beckham at number 11 and Orlando Bloom at number 12, there are some more unusual choices with four MPs, including David Cameron and Nick Clegg, making the top 30.

But for Colin’s mum Shirley, who lives in Winchester with her husband David, all that matters is that her son does his job professionally.

She said: “I’m very proud of both my sons and what matters to me is that they do a good job in a professional way. Looks are false values and if judged at all it should be on professionalism.

“Both my sons are actors and they do have gorgeous smiles. They’re both good at their jobs but they’re very different.

“I’m very proud of how much research Colin puts into a role to make sure it is just right. When he was a student and played the role of King Lear he even spent a night up a mountain to get it right.”