The 'lovely' country estate adored by celebrities, and the North East's other most expensive places to live

The region’s priciest neighbourhoods in which to buy a home have been revealed, with the average house in one area costing more than £570,000.

House prices have soared in several of the North East’s most sought-after places, by up to 10%, the latest figures reveal.

Among the most expensive places are Darras Hall and Ponteland, which are in Northumberland but just a short drive from Newcastle city centre.

Their appeal is unsurprising, given they are blessed with good schools, excellent cafes, restaurants and pubs, and surrounded by beautiful countryside.

Darras Hall’s residents include several Newcastle and Sunderland players past and present, with greats of the game Alan Shearer and Peter Beardsley among the famous faces calling it home.

One person called it a ‘lovely’ place to live with ‘great’ local amenities, while a second said ‘there’s a reason all the footballers live there’,

Whitley Bay is also among the North East’s most expensive places to live, according to the latest neighbourhood house price data from the Office for National Statistics.

Whitley Bay was last year named the third happiest place to live in the UK.

The estate agency Rook Matthews Sayer called it ‘one of the UK’s most charming seaside towns’, with a ‘stunning’ coastline, a ‘thriving’ cultural scene and a great sense of community.

Below are the 9 most expensive neighbourhoods in the North East in which to buy a house, listed in reverse order.

Where do you think is the best place to live in the North East, and why?

For more North East property news, check out this list of the best places to live there for schools, jobs and transport links.