TWO streets in Suffolk and Essex are on the road to global acclaim after being nominated among the most romantic in the UK.

Lavenham High Street and School Lane in Dedham have been shortlisted in the Google Street View Awards – to be decided by a worldwide poll.

They were chosen by a panel of experts from the worlds of travel, lifestyle and popular culture.

David Else, editor of the Lonely Planet’s guide of Great Britain, picked Lavenham High Street as one of 20 in the Most Romantic Street category because of its picturesque 15th-Century, half-timbered cottages.

School Lane was nominated by Lisa Scott, travel editor of Metro, for its timber-framed Tudor houses and perfectly manicured hedges which “embody the beauty and Britishness of the region”.

Two other categories include Hippest Street and Best Shopping Street.

The announcement comes as new survey results reveal more than half of Brits polled (55%) use Street View to plan a visit to a UK tourist attraction.

Street View currently allows users to view and navigate 360-degree street-level imagery in over 90% of the UK.

The awards, now in their second year, are supported by VisitBritain, Lonely Planet, founders of the Mr & Mrs Smith Guides and the fashion editor of Vogue, among others.

Juliet Kinsman, editor-in-chief of the Mr & Mrs Smith Guides, said: “I love our country for its rich history, multiculturalism and mishmash of classic and contemporary.” Voting is now open and closes on Sunday, May 22.

To vote, go to http://maps.google.co.uk/beststreets.

The winners will be announced in June.