Our friends in the North make bad neighbours compared to their southern counterparts, according to research carried out by a York-based academic.

According to Roger Burrows of the Centre for Housing Policy at York University, nine of the country's 10 worst neighbourhoods are in the North.

And the most desirable place to set up home is in Cranborne, Dorset, according to his research which has been carried out for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

The findings, based on a study of 80,000 households across the country, is aimed at summing up how friendly local people are.

It takes into account people's perceptions of how considerate and friendly their neighbours are and levels of crime and vandalism in the area.

And the North comes in for a bad time, with many of the worst neighbourhoods being in the North East of England.

The findings go against the widely held view that northerners are warmer, more caring and nicer to live with than southerners.

Middlesbrough estate Pallister Park, which lies just across the North Yorkshire boundary line, is identified as the least friendly place to live in Britain, plagued with crime and vandalism.

But the news has come as a shock to tourism chiefs who use the North's friendly reputation to draw visitors to the region.

Gillian Cruddas, chief executive of the York Tourism Bureau, said: "We receive about two or three letters from visitors every week and I don't think we have ever had complaints about people being unfriendly - in fact it is usually the opposite.

"The people they have come into contact with they usually have nothing but praise for, and this is something we have always used as a marketing tool.

"Maybe things are changing, but I think this report's findings are slightly odd."

Dave Merrett, deputy leader of the City of York Council, said he couldn't comment until the report was published later this month.

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