Forget the Isle of Wight and the Cotswolds, Suffolk has been named one of the best Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Which?, the UK's leading site for trusted advice and consumer choice, has surveyed the best Areas of Outstanding National Beauty (AONB).  

Nearly 4,000 people voted for their favourite untouched locations, using criteria such as wildlife spotting and visitor facilities to determine the rank of the best in the UK. 

East Anglian Daily Times: The AONB ranked 12th in the list of over 40The AONB ranked 12th in the list of over 40 (Image: Newsquest)

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Suffolk Coasts and Heaths AONB came 12th in the list of 46, and Dedham Vale came in at 31st. 

The Suffolk Coasts scored highly for several categories, including wildlife spotting, peace and quiet, visitor facilities, food and drink and accommodation, all of which received a 4/5 rating. 

The scenery, walks and attractions scored 3/5, and the AONB was given an overall rating of 81%. 

Nearby Norfolk Coast AONB came in at 14th, with the top spots taken by the Isles of Scilly and the Northumberland Coast.