Herne Bay is the number one destination for London househunters searching for affordable homes outside of the capital, according to a top estate agents.

A study by Savills analysing commuter movements reveals the town tops the relocation table among people moving from London to Kent, Essex and Sussex.

Pluckley, Sandwich, Hollingbourne and Harrietsham also made it into the top 20.

Paul Clarke, the director of David Clarke Estate Agents in the High Street, is not surprised by the results.

“Herne Bay has got a nice mixture of Victorian, period and new-build properties,” he said.

“There’s obviously a very nice coastline along Herne Bay and I think people find it a better quality of life here than closer to London.”

About 60% of the properties Mr Clarke sells are to people relocating from the capital.

Londoners have been drawn to the Bay because of its comparably cheaper house prices, despite the almost 80-minute train journeys and annual season tickets of more than £6,600.

As a result, property prices in the town have risen by 43% in the last five years to £265,000 and figures show that more than 60% of commuters are travelling to London.

“I think a lot of people see the train journey as just about acceptable and the motorway links are pretty good heading towards south London,” Mr Clarke added.

“Some find it too busy where they are, while others come for the lower crime rates and schools.

Generally they’re in a fortunate position where they’re selling their properties for considerably more than what they’d pay in Herne Bay, so they either upgrade or live mortgage-free in a similar place.”