HOUSE prices in Abertillery are rising at a slower rate than most of Britain, new figures shows.

A Halifax survey revealed the average property price in the town has more than doubled in 20 years - from £18,010 in 1983 to £37,872.

But across the rest of the UK average house prices have soared by 306 per cent in the same period. The Halifax figures showed the average price had increased from £29,993 in 1983, when it first started its house price index, to £121,742 at the end of last year.

Esher in Surrey is the most expensive place to live, with average prices rising from £195,103 in 1988 - when Halifax started to collect data on a town by town basis - to £416,328 today.

Jeanne Fry-Thomas, branch manager of Darlows in Brynmawr, pictured, said: "I'm amazed they're saying Abertillery is the among the cheapest in Britain because it's very popular and I haven't got enough properties to sell there.

"Now 60 per cent of the property sold comes from people outside the area, normally from Bristol. Abertillery offers excellent value and really nice houses with anything from two-bed mid terraces to large old period houses and modern housing."

The cheapest house now available for sale is an end of terrace house in Alma Street which is due to be auctioned at the end of February with an asking price of between £18,000 and £22,000.