Why the small town of Meltham is one of Yorkshire's best places to live - according to the locals

Nestled in the Holme Valley, Meltham is a gateway to the Peak District and boasts picturesque views of natural beauty spots such as West Nab and Folly Dolly Falls.

On a blustery Friday afternoon, reporter Abigail Marlow took to the streets of Meltham and spoke to business owners and residents about their experiences of living in the highly regarded town.

Zoeanne Fitzgerald from Heavenly Essence said: “It’s a lovely area. I’ve lived here for 22 years and had a business here for nine years. It’s a great community. There’s always something going on for kids and for the elderly. All the shops are here.”

Gail Keith from the Flower Box said: “I’ve lived here for 35 years and have had the shop for 20 years. My husband is a Melthamer, I’m still classed as a ‘comer-inner.’ I love it, there’s a lot to do. It’s just an all-round nice place to be.”

Caroline from the Crossroads shop said: “I’ve lived here for 22 years. I’m probably never going to leave. Not only are we placed conveniently from a commuting point of view, we’ve got really beautiful landscapes within and surrounding Meltham for walking and cycling. There’s a really great community spirit.”

Caroline explained the heavy involvement of local churches and businesses in putting on initiatives to support the community. She added: “Not only do we have great schools here, we have good doctors as well. There’s something for everyone if they want it.”

Her colleague Vanessa Rodgers added: “I’ve lived in Meltham for about 11 years. It’s just a really good community. Everyone supports one another.

“It’s a brilliant place with so much going on. There are constant events.”

Mike Cox said: “I’ve lived here for 21 years and it’s always been a good place. It’s got good community spirit. There’s a nice community and it’s a useful place to be. If you work in Manchester or Leeds it’s very easy to get there.”

Meltham Town Mayor, Richard Noon, who has been a resident for 35 years echoed many of the previous sentiments and spoke of the community spirit and bustling activity of community groups. He explained that in Meltham: “It’s all about doing things for the greater good of the village.”