'There's a ripple effect': Life in Greater Manchester's 'best value' town

With its affordable housing, stunning greenery and easy access to major cities, it’s no wonder Wigan has been named one of the top property hotspots in the country.

The borough came in second when ranked among areas proving most popular with buyers across the UK. The research was unveiled by property portal OnTheMarket in its latest Hotspots Index – the data suggesting buying decisions are heavily influenced by affordability.

As one of Greater Manchester's cheapest places to live, the property firm says Manchester commuters are flocking to Wigan to ‘find good-value homes.’

READ MORE: 'Who in their right mind would want to come here - just have a good look round'

As of March 6 this year, the average price paid for properties in Wigan is £158,000, according to the Land Registry.

This means there’s been a fall of 10.6 percent over the last 12 months for sold prices in Wigan.

Allan Hamer, of Hindley Green, loves living in the Wigan borough – especially for its pies and honest people. “I’ve lived here most of my life,” the 48-year-old said.

“To be honest, it's an alright town. It's still got plenty of shops. A few shops have closed down but that's like any town centre, really. I like the green spaces and the access to Manchester.

“I think it's cheaper to live in than Bolton for example, it's much more expensive to live there.

“It's sad to see the Galleries go, it's all been knocked down. But at least there's still lots of shops.”

But there are locals who can't understand the borough’s boom in popularity – saying more needs to be done to improve life in the area.

Roy Brogan, 80, has lived in the Pemberton area of Wigan his entire life - but says he would move away if he was younger.

“It's terrible,” he told the Manch