On the edge of Merseyside lies a small village where "everyone knows everyone".
Nestled in the countryside between St Helens and Wigan, Billinge is home to around 5,000 people, and house prices are far higher than the average for the borough. The average cost of a property in Billinge sits at over £250,000 according to Zoopla, while the St Helens average is around £165,000.
The ECHO headed into Billinge to see what makes the village so special to those who live and work there. One of the biggest pubs is the Billinge Arms, situated on Main Street - in the heart of the village.
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Sarah Dockerty works behind the bar at the Billinge Arms, and has lived in the village all her life. The 18-year-old believes the people are what make Billinge so special.
She told the ECHO: "I know it sounds like a cliché but I genuinely think it's the people around here that make the place special, everyone looks out for each other and everyone knows everyone. It's just a nice area to live in so I think that explains why the house prices are so high.
"My mum is 51 and she has lived here all of her life, I hear her and other people her age talking about back years ago, when the shops were all locally owned, like where the David Pluck shop is now, it sounds like it had just always been a great place to live."
Another huge pull to the village is the natural beauty surrounding Billinge, with the well known Billinge Hill just a small part of the extensive walking trails surrounding the village. According to one dog walker, this was a big factor in them re-locating to Billinge.
The man, who asked not be named, said: "The number of great walking trails around here was part of the reason I chose to move here, I've got three dogs that need a lot of exercise so it is perfect for me, you can walk up Billinge Hill and take in the view.
"There's never any trouble around here either, it's just a lovely place to live and to raise a family, it can be difficult to get your foot on the property ladder around here though."
Sandra is in her 60s and has lived in Billinge for over 40 years, she believes there is nowhere else in the world she would rather live. She told the ECHO: "I moved here in my 20s, I've raised my kids here and I don't have any reason to leave, there's nowhere else I would want to live - it's nice and quiet."
It is believed the name Billinge comes from Old English for "(place at the) pointed hill" after being founded around 550AD by a single tribe. The Billinge History and Heritage Society states the leading clan at the time, "the Billingas" gave the village its first ruling family.
It added: "Billinge retained its Anglo Saxon name and culture throughout the subsequent invasion and settlement by the Norsemen, 700 - 800. Around 1290, the Manor of Billinge divided into four. The ancient manor houses of Billinge, Birchley, Bispham and Winstanley are still standing."
The village was largely isolated until the industrial revolution and the rise of nearby towns of St Helens and Wigan.
Parish Councillor Steve Gardner has lived in the village for over 50 years and told the ECHO he feels that Billinge's transport links and rich history are part of what make the area great. He said: "We're lucky here to have easy access to the M6, if you want a day out in the Lake District, it's just an hour and a half drive. The history of the village goes back around 900 years too, so it has been here a long time.
"The people here are what make me love the village so much though, everyone looks out for each other, it's a very welcoming community and everyone is willing to help each other."
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