"I wouldn’t call it posh, just well-maintained," Laura Heath said when I arrived at West Wittering, a jewel in Sussex's crown.
I met Laura when I finally reached West Wittering beach, a well-known stretch of sand which attracts thousands of tourists every year as well as celebrities who live in the area.
I was on a mission to find out just how upmarket the village is after The Telegraph named it one of the "poshest" coastal villages in the UK, partly due to its eye-watering house prices.
A resident of five years, Laura said: “People here care about the place they live in and the environment, so it drives house prices up, plus there is a high demand with little supply in the area.
"We love it here and I couldn't imagine a better place to live on the South coast with sandy beaches at your doorstep."
West Wittering has an average house price of £913,082 with 18% of its homes being sold for more than £1m in the past five years.
It is very popular thanks to its promise of a relaxing summer holiday and its sandy beaches. It has become the go-to destination for a lot of families across the UK to enjoy a dip in the sea and feel as if they are on a European getaway for the day - if it’s sunny that is.
The village has a modest population of just over 800 residents according to the most recent ONS census.
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As I travelled to West Wittering to see what life was like in the village I took the 52 bus from Chichester. It took roughly half an hour and it was the bumpiest journey I have ever experienced.
The views of farms and horses prancing in fenced land made up for the potholes and I genuinely felt like I was on my way to a relaxing getaway.
The village has a butcher’s, a convenience store, a pub, a café, a hair salon and a gift shop. The next closest place with more options is East Wittering roughly 1.5 miles away, with buses running every half an hour.
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Apart from the beach West Wittering is also known for having some A-List stars amongst its residents. One of the most famous residents in the village is Kate Winslet, who of course is best known for her role as Rose in The Titanic.
Since 2015, The Holiday actress has lived in her £4 million beachfront mansion with her husband and three children. Other notable celebrities include Keith Richards the Rolling Stone guitarist who has owned a 15th-century Grade II-listed cottage, called Redlands Cottage, since 1966.
Nicholas Lyndhurst who played Rodney Trotter in the sitcom Only Fools and Horses and attended East Wittering Primary School as a child is another notable resident and so is actor, singer and songwriter Michael Ball.
Speaking to the residents, they seem to pay no mind to the celebrities in the area.
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Peter Lloyd, one of them, said: “You don’t see or hear too much about the celebrities in the village to be honest.
“They tend to keep themselves to themselves like Kate for example. We occasionally see the local boy Nicholas Lyndhurst, he schooled near this area so it must feel like home to him anyways. You can see him down at the beach grabbing some lunch with family or just going on a stroll, no one in the community really bothers them – it’s life as usual.
"Keith is a completely different matter, especially after his run-in with law when he lived here and having his house raided."
The pair pleaded not guilty at Chichester Crown Court and spent time in Lewes Prison where they were held until sentencing was decided.
Peter continued: “I know he is actively involved in the community and has attended council meetings in matters concerning the villages and new plannings around the beach and within the village itself.”
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Richards was also among a whole host of West Wittering residents in 2016 who opposed plans for a £1.5 million new cafe to be built on the beachfront.
In a letter to planning authorities he wrote: "The second-storey restaurant overlooks and is visible from the sea and beach. It spoils the natural beauty and seclusion of the beach. It dominates the area and degrades its character.”
Another resident said: "I've only seen Michael Ball once and he was walking his dogs on the beach, it must be nice for them as none of the residents really bother the celebs here unless it's just exchanging pleasantries.
"The popularity of the beach in recent years must make it a tad harder though."
Though it is known for its beach, stunning views and colourful huts, there's more to West Wittering which has a rich history and a strong sense of local community.
We spoke to a member of the West Wittering Memorial Hall, a pillar within the local community where events, weddings and gatherings take place.
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Doug Tyrrell said: “Where the Memorial Hall is positioned is both central physically and socially within the layout of the village. It has become a staple for the local residents and is a hub for them to socialise.
“Since 1922 it has provided a venue for local residents, activity groups and businesses to hold family, social and business events.
“Now it thrives as a busy hub for a diverse bunch of groups taking part in activities such as Art, Crafting, Ballroom Dance and Amateur Dramatics.”
Another social hotspot for the local community lies in The Wittering pub on Cakeham Road.
Before it was known as The Wittering, the pub was called The Old House at Home. It was under threat of closure in 2018, but a group of villagers together to buy the venue.
Sam Pope, supervisor at The Wittering, said: “This local community has taken us in as their pub even though we have only been here for two years.
”The pub is owned by six families who live right here, so the whole place really has a strong local atmosphere, it’s for locals by the locals and many residents have made it their regular.”
"For example, we are throwing a fundraising event for this little girl called Minnie from Chichester, she has had two major heart surgeries in a short space of time and the community loves following her story and supporting as much as they can. She started riding her bike recently again and it’s just wonderful to see."
The Wittering gets all its ingredients from local or neighbouring sources, meat from the local butcher’s Wallace's Family Butchers and local bakery Knead Bakery in East Wittering and they work with neighbouring brewery Little Monsters to provide an in-house lager Dunes which reflects the rolling dunes of West Wittering beach.
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Life in West Wittering sounds pretty idyllic - but of course the village has similar problems to the rest of the country's holiday destinations.
"Some residents do complain about the congestion and the amount of noise, but it’s just part of living in a popular destination," Sam added.
Sean Marshall, from Hampshire, was visiting the beach with some friends for the day.
He said: ”It’s a stunning beach and it’s great to bring young children to, my friend is a mother and was able to bring them along as they can just play and do all they like here.
“Especially with the shallow water it just makes it perfect, as you don’t have to worry about your child getting hurt or potentially worse.
"Parking wasn't too bad, it's easier now that you can pre-book online. As you can see we definitely enjoyed ourselves."
Though West Wittering may be known as a holiday destination to most, and one of the poshest villages in the country, it has a thriving community that loves living there and wants to see generations be raised near the golden dunes.
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