Want a happy child? Then go to Norwich: City is voted best place in Britain for youngsters to grow up

Voted top thanks to combination of open spaces, play parks, and safe roads

Yorkshire's Leeds and Sheffield were placed second and third

K ey to fulfilling childhood according to poll is to have a garden to play in

Norwich has topped a poll to be named the happiest place for children to grow up.



The East Anglian city - which has given us Colman's mustard, Delia Smith and of course, Alan Partridge - was voted top thanks to a combination of open spaces, play parks, and safe roads.

Yorkshire's Leeds and Sheffield were placed second and third respectively while cities from Portsmouth to Glasgow made the top 20.



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Norwich has topped a poll to be named the happiest place for children to grow up

The key to a fulfilling childhood according to the poll of 2,000 parents, is simply to have a garden to play in.

Researchers looked at the facilities and amenities which parents believe are important for a happy childhood and combined this how many of them are offered where they live.

This may have hampered the chart positions of cities like London and Brighton where many people live in flats and apartments in the research, compiled by soft drinks firm Panda Drinks.

Somewhere that's green: The key to a fulfilling childhood according to the poll of 2,000 parents, is simply to have a garden to play in

UK'S TOP 10 HAPPIEST PLACES TO BE A CHILD

1. Norwich 2. Leeds 3. Sheffield 4. Portsmouth 5. Glasgow 6. Birmingham 7. Bristol 8. Cardiff 9. Manchester 10. Truro

Other features British parents rate as helping a child grow up happy include having friends who live nearby, areas safe enough for them to cycle and even a beach a short drive away.

The Norfolk city, which is also famous for Stephen Fry and Lord Nelson, scored well on most counts - aside from a lack of hills suitable for sledging in the winter, due to its notoriously flat landscape.

Lower down the list, cities like Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff made the top ten.



They were voted in thanks to the volume of parks and playgrounds within walking distance of homes.

Coastal towns and cities like Newquay, Truro and Plymouth have the advantage of being nearer the seaside, earning them a place in the top 20.

Apart from local amenities, other factors for a happy childhood are safety related, were policeman on patrol, good street lighting, neighbourhood watch schemes and lollipop ladies at crossings.

Nina Uttley, brand manager for Panda Soft Drinks, said: 'A happy childhood does not depend on the latest games, expensive gadgets and access to theme parks.

'This survey shows just how vital the great outdoors can be.

'Even if you live in an urban area, easy access to parks or playgrounds and a short drive to a beach or woodland, can help give children the healthy, active upbringing they deserve and improve their overall happiness.'



