There are more holiday homes in the South Hams than anywhere else in Great Britain, according to a study of statistical data.

More than four per cent of the district's 46,525 residential properties are registered as holiday homes.

Only the Isles of Scilly has a higher ratio of holiday homes to residences.

The study, by Howden Insurance, pinpoints “the areas where current property owners would benefit from letting their home out this holiday season,” the insurer said.

The appeal of holiday homes is growing in both England and Wales, with many individuals opting to stay in properties that are rented out sporadically throughout the year. This study aims to identify the areas where this trend is most common.

No other part of Devon and Cornwall, traditionally thought of as prime holiday-let destinations, features in the survey's Top Ten.

Gwynedd, north Norfok, Anglesey and the southern Lake District are the nation's other hotspots.