Sandbach has been revealed as one of England's 'property price hotspots' with average asking prices up more than £32,000 on last year.

The 11.6 per cent rise in sellers' asking prices was revealed in a survey by property search website Rightmove.

The average asking price for properties in the town now sits at £280,888, with the national average at a record high of £323,797 in March, a jump of 5.1 per cent on last year.

Wallasey in Merseyside took the top spot when it comes to their housing market heating up with a 15.6 per cent jump in average asking prices.

Seven of the top 10 hottest housing markets featured towns in the north west with Sandbach coming in at seven on the list.

Measures brought in during the pandemic, such as the stamp duty holiday, are credited with increasing demand and keeping the housing market buoyant despite economic uncertainty.

In April there were 45% more buyers contacting agents about properties for sale than in April 2019.

Rightmove's property expert Tim Bannister said: "The average asking prices of all locations in the price hotspot list are below the national average, and I'd expect them to see strong price growth continue for the rest of the year, especially as many buyers will be exempt from stamp duty in these areas right up until the end of September.

"The frenetic market opens up a very real possibility that you could miss out on the home you really want to move to if you haven't already put your own up for sale, or if you're a first-time buyer and you haven't first researched what you can definitely afford.

"We recently found that a much higher proportion of chain free homes are up for sale, so it's clear some buyers are already choosing to sell first and buy next rather than tie themselves into a chain. To put yourself in the best possible position before you request a viewing I'd recommend getting a mortgage in principle ready, and being clear on what the final asking price you can offer is if it is a hot market where the property is likely to go to best and final offers.

"Agents are telling me that because stock is so few and far between they're advising homeowners to first get an offer accepted on their own home, and they're finding that many buyers are more willing to then give owners a bit more time to find their next place to move to before the chain can get moving."

Top ten list of house price hotspots in England:

1. Wallasey, Merseyside, £176,707, 15.6%
2. Leigh, Greater Manchester, £160,345, 12.8%
3. Penzance, Cornwall, £280,102, 12.5%
4. Birkenhead, Merseyside, £145,437, 12.4%
5. Wednesbury, West Midlands, £172,753, 12.2%
6. Lancaster, Lancashire, £199,707, 11.8%
7. Sandbach, Cheshire, £280,888, 11.6%
8. Rossendale, Lancashire, £207,618, 11.4%
9. Oldham, Greater Manchester, £174,925, 11.3%
10. Burntwood, Staffordshire, £254,418, 11.2%