A seaside town has officially been ranked as the third saddest place in the UK according to a new study.

A study by Paranimo into local well-being reports found a significant decline in satisfaction, worthwhileness, and happiness in Eastbourne over the last decade.

Compared to the national average overall well-being drop of just 0.34 per cent between April 2013 and March 2023, Eastbourne saw a 9.57 per cent fall.

Paranimo analysed data by the Office for National Statistics over the last ten years and found that there was a decline in satisfaction by 11.64 per cent, worthwhileness by 5.8 per cent, and happiness by 11.22 per cent in the town over the last ten years.

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Hastings ranked fifth on the list.

Paranimo Co-Founder and CEO Matthew Vamplew said: "To put these figures in perspective, the average percentage decline in overall well-being for all local authorities in the UK between April 2013 and March 2023 is a mere 0.34%.

"This shows that these specific regions are grappling with a more pronounced decrease in overall well-being.

“We strongly encourage anyone facing challenges to seek support, whether it be from family or friends, or ideally, a trained counselling professional.

"It’s not just on people to help themselves though, workplaces have an opportunity and responsibility to be proactive in supporting their worker’s mental health.

"Simple steps like fostering an empathetic culture, providing access to resources, and accommodating health needs can have an enormously positive impact on mental well-being for staff.” 

Three Rivers in Hertfordshire ranked as the saddest place in the UK in this study.