More families settle in Swindon

An unusually high number of families are choosing Swindon as their home, according to a report commissioned by the BBC.

The study called Changing UK shows the town has a higher than average number of children under the age of 17.

The paper, by researchers at Sheffield University, looks at how UK society has changed since the 1960s.

It suggests many young adults move out of Swindon in their 20s but return when they have their own families.

John Pritchard, from Sheffield University and a co-author of the report, said: "The report showed a higher than average number of children up to the age of 17.

"This suggests that Swindon is a popular place for families and older people to live - but many young adults prefer to move out of the area, either for education or work, maybe returning when they have families."

The total population of Swindon borough is currently 186,000 and is projected to rise to 250,000 by 2030.