Retirees waking up to the fact that the Wolds is their oyster...

According to research on population figures from the Office of National Statistics conducted by online estate agency urban, the East Riding is the third most popular part of the country for the 65-plus age group.

A total of 1,576 retirees moved to the East Riding from other English and Welsh regions in the 12 months to June 2014, the latest period for which figures are available. Only Wiltshire (2,232) and Cornwall (2,108) attracted more retirees in the same period.

The east coast resorts of Bridlington, Hornsea and Flamborough have long been popular retirement locations for people from the West Riding but the wider country is now waking up to the appeal of the Wolds and towns such as Beverley, Driffield and Pocklington.

Estate agents in Bridlington have recently experienced a surge in interest from buyers in Kent, London and Oxford, leading to a shortage of properties in a town which experienced an 18 per cent increase in sales between 2014 and 2015.

The recent premier of the new Dad’s Army movie, which was largely filmed in the seaside resort, has fuelled demand for houses which can cost a fraction of similar properties in nearby York.

The internal migration research also reveals that Leeds (13,178 people) and Sheffield (10,008) are in the top five cities for attracting migrating people aged between 18 and 21, most of whom are students who have secured university places.

Birmingham is the most popular place to move to and was the only city considered a top 10 destination to move to consistently across all age groups (18 to 21, 22 to 29, 30 to 64 and over-65s).

Full details of the urban research can be found here

Here are our five favourite East Riding retirement locations:

Beverley

with its impressive Minster, the East Riding’s county town combines urban sophistication with rural charm and sits at the heart of this largely unsung region. There’s lots to do in and around Beverley, which has a vibrant market and a world famous racecourse.

This two-bed semi-detached bungalow with lots of garden space is on the market at just £160,000

Pocklington

Thirteen miles from York, the market town of Pocklington sits at the foot of the Yorkshire Wolds and has a very strong village feel to it, despite an increase in the number of residents who commute to York, Leeds and Hull. The annual arts festival is very popular, as is the beer festival, Pocktoberfest.

This three-bedroom townhousein need of refurbishment is awaiting offers in the region of £150,000

Hornsea

Home to Hornsea Mere, the largest freshwater lake in Yorkshire, this seaside resort can feel reassuringly quaint but in a modern, cut-throat world full of places with fake polish, that’s no bad thing. Hornsea Golf Club is a facility the town can be proud of.

This three-bed penthouse suite just 100 yards from the beach and outside terrace with sea views is on the market at £325,000.

Driffield

Sitting on the Driffield Navigation, this sleepy Wolds town (population 13,080) has a small, busy high street and all the amenities needed for a happy retirement, including good rail links with Hull, Scarborough, Beverley, Bridlington and Filey.

This distinguished six-bed villa with a manageable garden will impress visiting family members and is on the market at £549,950

Flamborough

Just four miles to the north of Bridlington, Flamborough is one of the east coast’s most spectacular villages with its rugged chalk cliffs and RSPB reserve at nearby Bempton.

This two-bed detached bungalow with sea views is on the market at £265,000