COLCHESTER has been named as one of the best places to live after racing 20 places up an annual leaderboard.

The town came 61st in the Hot Housing Index put together by CACI and Property Week.

It saw it rise 21 places compared to the 2018 survey.

Its placing on the list saw it beat both Cambridge in at 86th and Chelmsford at 92nd based on affordability, employment levels, internet connectivity, school provision, local amenities, access to public transport and crime levels.

Aberdeen was ranked at first.

Earlier this year CACI ranked Colchester in the top 50 places to have an office.

David Boyden, managing director of Boydens, said the study showed Colchester was an up-and-coming place to live.

Colchester was found to be the fastest growing borough in Essex and is ranked 17th in the UK according to the Office for National Statistics. Between mid-2013 and mid-2018 Colchester saw growth of 8.2 per cent.

Mr Boyden said: “I am pleased to see Colchester not only on the list, but now rising up it which should give both buyers and sellers in the Colchester area confidence.

“Boydens has seen a busy start to the first half of this financial year despite the political uncertainty we are witnessing right now.”