KIRKLEES is halfway down a league comprising crime rates and house prices.

The league comes in a survey that shows house-hunters are willing to fork out tens of thousands of pounds to live in crime-free areas.

Properties in England's safer towns, cities and rural areas cost, on average, £32,700 more than their equivalents in crime-ridden areas.

The survey covered 358 areas of England.

Kirklees came 192nd in the league, with homes costing an average £92,563 and 128 crimes per 1,000 households.

Calderdale is 228th, with a crime rate of 143 per 1,000 homes and average prices at £87,146.

Parents hoping to raise their families in a rural idyll can expect to add a staggering £63,800 to the cost of a home out of harm's way.

Topping the league table is Teesdale in County Durham, with an average house price of £113,143 and a crime rate of just 18 per 1,000 households.

In 190th place is Wakefield, where a house will set you back £93,209 and there are 127 crimes per 1,000 properties.

Leeds fares poorly and languishes at 317th. Despite average property prices reaching £116,788, there are 185 crimes per 1,000.

The research was compiled by internet information site UpMyStreet.com

The firm's commercial director Julia Grinham said: "Close to half of people worry that crime is a problem where they live. So it's no wonder that we're prepared to shell out to live in a safer environment.

"In general, the more expensive an area is, the lower the crime rate."

Paul Keighley, a partner at Bramley's estate agents, said perception of crime was an important factor when people were looking to move.

"I think people have perceived areas that they feel are affected by crime."

But he believed it was impossible to put a figure on how much a person would pay to live in a chosen area.

He added that high-priced areas attracted opportunistic criminals.