Sutton has been rated the best place in London to bring up children.

Analysis of factors including crime rates, earnings, house prices and access to good schools revealed the London borough as the top location in the capital for young families to set up home.

It was also the only place in London to make the top 20 best places in the England and Wales to bring up children, according to the study compiled by children's savings provider Family Investments.

The research was conducted by Calnea Analytics in July for the companiy's Family Friendly Hotspots Report.

Researchers looked at more than 60 indicators - both positive and negative - in 2,400 postcode areas in England and Wales to draw up the list of family-friendly hotspots.

Sutton, which has over 1,500 acres of parks and open spaces, topped the London list ahead of Redbridge and Teddington.

Councillor Sean Brennan, leader of Sutton Council, said: “We’re delighted but not surprised to have topped the league.

We’re got some of the best schools in the UK, it’s a very safe area and we’re one of the greenest parts of London - and there’s a real community here which makes it a great place to live and grow up.”

The average value of a two-bedroom property in Sutton was found to be £190,582, higher than the £167,659 national average, but “affordable” by London standards - enabling families to get on the housing ladder.

The schools in the borough are some of the highest achieving in the UK, with its primaries recently achieving the third highest SATS results in the country.

Sutton is also the borough with the highest percentage of employed residents in the capital.

According to the Office for National Statistics, 78 per cent of Sutton's working-age population has a job.

Quantity and quality of early years care, along with access to green spaces and parks, local leisure centres, museums and theatres, were also considered.

Top of the England and Wales list was Devon village, Winkleigh, closely followed by South Petherton in Somerset, and Galgate in Lancashire.

Sutton was 20th in the England and Wales list London top 10 1 Sutton 2 Redbridge 3 Teddington 4 Hutton 5 East Sheen 6 Banstead 7 Bushey 8 Havering 9 Rickmansworth 10 Buckhurst Hill Look at the report at familyinvestments.co.uk/hotspots