Clitheroe is a top place to live in the country

According to a new guide published on Tuesday by The Times, the rural market town featured seventh in Britain’s top 30 best locations to live in the country and the only town in the North West to have made it on the list.

The report said: “This pastoral idyll of the Ribble Valley was the inspiration for JRR Tolkien’s Shire (home of the hobbits) and is all misty green fields and rippling rivers with the added benefit of great foodie shops and a jazz festival. The craggier peaks of the Bowland Fells, sometimes known as the “Switzerland of England”, are a short drive away. Long-time locals and Preston commuters tend to live here.” Delighted with the news, Mr Geoffrey Jackson, from The Ribble Valley Jazz and Blues Club, said: “This is wonderful. We are looking forward to welcoming thousands of extra people to the festival in May for the cultural and economic benefits of the Valley.”