NEW research by a holiday home insurance company has revealed Cornwall to be the most popular place to buy a holiday home in the UK.

It also revealed that owners live on average over 200 miles away from their seaside property.

This nationwide research found that Cornwall, Norfolk and Cumbria are the top places to own a holiday home, with many of the owners residing in big cities. The research by Schofields Ltd shows that many people are buying second homes predominantly to have a weekend bolthole away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

A total of 28% of people in the study have revealed that Cornwall is the most popular place to escape to in the UK, followed by Norfolk at 17% and Devon at 16%. For a holiday home based in Cornwall, owners travel 220 miles on average, whilst in Devon it is 163 miles and 88 miles for Norfolk.