Ledbury has been named one of the prettiest towns in the country.

The Telegraph put Ledbury fourth on its list of the prettiest towns in Britain.

None of Herefordshire’s other market towns made the list. Ludlow, just over the Shropshire border, makes the list as does Crickhowell in Monmouthshire.

Each town was given a score out of 10 across categories including historic architecture, views, greenery and ‘low traffic/litter’, with Ledbury scoring 40/50 in total.

The Telegraph says of the town: “Oddly overlooked at times, pretty Herefordshire is awash with charming black-and-white timber-framed villages and at its heart is Ledbury.

“Sitting near the forested western slopes of the Malvern Hills, Ledbury is a laid-back Medieval market town lined with lovely old timber stores and hidden alleys bulging at the seams with eclectic boutiques and friendly artisan stores.

“There’s a glorious silence when alighting at Ledbury station, with just the sight of the hills rising as the train trundles off into the Herefordshire countryside.”

It picks out the historic Market House, which has stood since 1668, as Ledbury’s best viewpoint and the Feathers Hotel, which dates back to 1564, as a place to stay.

Mayor Helen I’Anson said: “It’s really good to be named on this list.

“Anything that brings national recognition to the town has to be a good thing. Tourists are the real backbone of our town and all of its lovely independent shops.

“The challenge for us now is to keep it looking as pretty as it is.”

Cllr I’Anson said something she loves about Ledbury is that it is as welcoming as it is pretty.

“I love living in the centre of Ledbury,” she said.

“We live in Church Street and if you didn’t want to, you’d never have to leave the town - you can get everything here.

“Having lived in Malvern for a long time, something about Ledbury is that the shopkeepers are fantastic - always very positive and welcoming.

“In every shop you get the same response - that people are really pleased to see you as a customer.”