Scottish and Welsh towns dominated the list of UK property hotspots in the Halifax’s latest house price index, taking up seven of the top 10 places.

The Halifax placed Irvine in Scotland at the top of the list with a 44% rise in property prices during the past year. All towns in the top 10 which delivered the strongest price rises over the last year are below the UK average in terms of average house prices.

County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland has recorded the biggest price rises during the year at a county level with a 31% increase, followed by Highlands in Scotland with 27%. Nine out of the 10 counties recording the smallest increases during the same period were in southern England.

Martin Ellis, chief economist at the Halifax, said: “It has been those areas where prices have, on average, been lowest that have delivered the biggest gains in prices as property has remained more affordable in these places.”