HOUSE prices are soaring in market towns, a survey has shown, with two Hampshire spots cropping up in the costly top ten.

With scores of city dwellers turning to the country, demand has sent prices shooting up in Ringwood, now ranked the third most expensive of all English market towns, and Romsey, which comes in sixth.

The new Halifax study says that the average house price in Romsey is a staggering £256,007, while Ringwood, in the New Forest, comes in even higher with average costs of £279,266.

Topping the list way above the others is Beaconsfield, Bucking-hamshire, with a home costing an average of £550,495.

The latest study, which analysed the price of property in 112 English market towns, said the price of homes had at least doubled in all but four of the towns since 1995.

Ringwood's ranking, just behind Midhurst in West Sussex, marks another wealth accolade for the New Forest.

In a survey last year it was revealed the Lymington area contains the 12th highest number of millionaires in the country.

Dominic Lavery, a partner of Ringwood estate agents Lavery and Lavery, was not at all surprised by the findings.

He said: "The demand for property is very strong in Ringwood."

The town is hugely popular because of its proximity to Bournemouth, Southampton and the New Forest, he suggested.

He said: "Ringwood is a very nice market town. You've got your national chain shops but you've also got a lot of individual speciality shops that you won't find in other places such as Southampton or Bournemouth.

But while demand is high supply is very low, he added.

"The market is reasonable but we just need more properties."

In Romsey, the high housing costs raised few eyebrows among estate agents as well.

Rachel Purdue, at Penyards estate agent, said: "As a town this is an expensive place to live. We deal in character properties so the cheapest one we have at the moment is £295,000.

"Romsey attracts a mixture of people. Older people like the fact that they can walk into the centre, which has facilities like the market. Families are attracted by the schools."