YORK has been ranked as the safest place for families to live in the UK, according to new research.

The study, conducted by OutdoorToys, looked into several factors which make for a happy and well-balanced family life to find out which areas of the UK can be crowned as home to the happiest families.

It considered factors such as transport links, local schools and amenities.

York has been crowned as the safest area for families to live in the country, with a safety index score of 73.09. The city has a very good rate of perceived safety among locals with rates of stolen cars and robberies particularly low in the area.

York also ranks highly for the most things to do, with 34 per 10,000 people.

The second Yorkshire area in the top three is the town of Rotherham, with a safety index score of 72.94. Due to low levels of crime, homeowners in Rotherham are not worried about being mugged, attacked, or targeted by a hate crime. Paired with low average house prices of £163,500 and monthly childcare costs of £700, Rotherham is an appealing city for family life according to the study.

Warrington ranks as the third safest city for UK families, with a safety index score of 68.33.