We visit the Shropshire market town of Newport where locals say there's everything you could want

In November last year, an online retailer surveyed around 5,000 people from around the country to compile a list of the 70 happiest places in the UK - and Newport came tops in Shropshire.

Furniturebox described Newport as "a small, friendly market town" and commended it for being the home of Shropshire's "highest rated" secondary schools, Newport Girls' and Haberdashers' Adams.

With a picturesque high street filled with dozens of independent retailers and a wide variety of pubs, it's not hard to see why one Birmingham Live reporter once called it "so nice it's like being on holiday".

So as part of our new series celebrating Shropshire's towns and villages, we popped along to see why locals love Newport. 

"Everyone's really friendly, everyone seems to know each other," said Miranda Trick, 33. 

"I think it's because it's not directly connected to anywhere else, it's still got that rural market town feel. The shops are really nice, lots of lovely independent shops." 

The bustling high street was also top of 80-year-old Simon Stobbs' list of Newport loves. Simon moved to Newport with his wife from Stanton upon Hine Heath around five and a half years ago.

"The wide streets, the independent shops. We absolutely love it," he said. "The people are very, very friendly. It's everything you want in a town."

But not everyone we spoke to was so smitten with the town's retail offerings. 

"It's all charity shops and hairdressers," said 73-year-old Anthony Bates, practically scoffing at my suggestion the town had a thriving high street.

"There aren't that many pubs now either are they? And the ones we do have just have students in, and they don't know how to behave themselves!" 

Newport born-and-bred Tim Cartwright, 63, wholeheartedly refuted that accusation. 

"There are lots of great pubs and we've just had a new little micropub just open," he said, referring to The Stag & Scotch on the High Street. 

"It's a shame we don't have a few more big shops, but then you've got to be careful because it takes away from that quiet town feeling.

"I love it here, it's friendly - a lovely, peaceful little town."

Local recommendations: 

Grab a pint from: The Swan Inn on Lower Bar. The traditional, family (and dog) friendly pub is the highest-rated pub in Newport on Tripadvisor and comes highly recommended by locals. 

Coffee and cake lovers unite at: The Pastry Box, Newport Indoor Market. The "incredible demand" of shoppers has meant this hidden gem of a bakery has recently extended their opening hours. All of their goods - every pork pie, custard tart and Chelsea bun - are made just a flight of stairs away from their store, which they share with Hey Jude's record shop.