Music fans hit the north

North-western ambassadors: The Beatles

East Anglia is the most musically bereft part of the UK, while the north-west of England is the richest, according to a poll.

Fewer than 1% of listeners thought East Anglia produced the best music, according to the survey for the Dotmusic website.

But the north-west - home to the Beatles and Oasis - found favour with a winning 16%.

London - the centre of the UK music industry - came a close second with 15%.

East Anglian star: Beth Orton

But Londoners were less proud of their musical heritage - which includes The Jam, The Clash, The Kinks and Squeeze - than other parts of the country.

The poll showed 42% of people from the north-east of England and 28% of Scots thought the capital produced the best music, as opposed to 17% of people from London.

People from the north west were the most proud of their heritage, with 42% of people thinking they had the best bands, with the Beatles seen as the best example of music from the area.

East Anglia - whose stars include singer Beth Orton and 1980s band The Farmers Boys - only picked up 4% of its local votes.

Arthur Bernstein from the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts said: "Anywhere can produce great music, but there's no doubt the north is particularly vibrant.

"A&R people tell us they are increasingly heading away from the capital because there seems to be more diversity and energy in the regions."

Outside the north-west, people from Yorkshire thought brass bands best represented their area, while those in the north-east were most proud of 1970s band Lindisfarne.