Go West for house price winners

Cornwall is a popular location for holiday homes

Homeowners in western Britain have benefited most from rising house prices over the last ten years, according to the Halifax.

Thirteen of the 20 counties with the strongest increases since 1996 are in Wales, four in the South West and one in the West Midlands.

The 19 areas with the smallest price rises are all in Scotland.

In all 102 counties analysed by the Halifax, prices have at least doubled over the past decade.

Prices doubled

Cornwall recorded the biggest gain - the land of the Eden Project, Cornish pasties and miles of gorgeous coastline saw prices rise by 268%, from an average of £53,081 in 1996 to £195,388 in 2006.

Next on the list of top gainers were the Isle of Anglesey, Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire, Caerphilly and Powys in Wales.

UK HOUSE PRICES Biggest growth since 1996 - Cornwall (268%) Least growth since 1996 - Aberdeenshire (103%) Highest average house price - Surrey (£298,835) Lowest average house price - Blaenau Gwent (£92,718)

"Both parts of the UK (Cornwall and Wales) are popular areas for people seeking to relocate and for those looking for a holiday home," said Halifax chief economist Martin Ellis.

"These factors, combined with more affordable property than that available in the South East, have contributed to the substantial house price gains in the last ten years." In 1996 no county had an average price above £100,000, but now only Blaenau Gwent has an average below.

Nine of the ten most expensive counties are in the South East, led by Surrey, Hertfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.

Ten counties have an average price in excess of £200,000.