The rural market town named UK's 'cheapest' - homes on sale for less than £134K

Surrounded by rolling hills, moorland and with two rivers running through it, Burnley in Lancashire is place steeped in industrial heritage strongly linked to the countryside.

The natural power of the River Calder and River Brun drove the town's spinning wheels for the textile industry before the Industrial Revolution brought coal mining to nearby uplands.

A boom in industry brought with it a spike in housing and much of the original terraced stock dating from the late 1800s and early 1900s survives to this day.

The industry may have gone, for the most part, but housing remains, with many properties still retaining some early features and a price tag that also seems to be trapped in a time warp.

Buyers looking could be pleased to hear it was given the title of the cheapest postcode to buy a house, with the average price coming in at less than £134,000.

With excellent transport links to major cities like Manchester, Leeds, and Liverpool, Burnley could become the Cotswolds of the north thanks to its countryside location and appeal for commuters.

It is around an hour's commute into Manchester by car and just 46 minutes by train.

When not making their way to work in nearby large cities, those living in Burnley also have only a short journey to get to some amazing countryside.

Majestic Pendle Hill dominates the local skyline, rising 1,827 feet above sea level and offering stunning views of the surrounding valley and the Yorkshire Dales.

Just over Pendle Hill lies the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) which is less than 25 miles away and offers amazing walking trails through unspoilt moorland and woods.

Last year, Burnley was also named the second-cheapest place to rent in the UK. Properties are on average on the market for just £507 a month, which has caught the attention of buyers, investors, and tenants being priced out of bigger areas, such as Greater Manchester.

Director of Jon Simon estate agents' Burnley branch, Gareth Dooley, specialises in residential property in the town. He told he has witnessed an 'influx' of buyers:

"It's certainly the case. Given our cheaper house prices and the improved rail links, Manchester is far more commutable now than it was 10 years ago.

"A train from Manchester Road station in Burnley takes less than an hour to get into central Manchester and with the M65 motorway network on our doorstep, a drive can even be less than that."