Most child-friendly UK places

The most child-friendly places in the UK for children to grow up are Somerset, Cambridge and Leeds, while Northampton, Blackpool and Merthyr Tydfil are the least, according to a new report by 4Children. Researchers looked at factors such as school results, leisure centre facilities and the number of parks to rank areas for child-friendliness. Free Range Childhood found that what parents wanted most was support when their children were young, including centres where they could find advice and meet other parents. Visit www.4children.org.uk to download the report.