Towns in danger of being named England's worst as public to crown ‘biggest dirt hole’

The race is on to find England's worst place to live as people are urged to crown the ‘biggest dirt hole’ in the country.

Look away estate agents, the most terrible towns and cities are chosen by members of the public in a massive annual vote conducted by controversial website ilivehere.

They take it upon themselves to name and shame the most dire area every year - and the 2022 title is up for grabs.

Aylesbury won it last year, but it appears the Buckinghamshire may have cleaned up its act.

The voting has been extended to January 31 "to let all you work-based slackers vote," according to the organisers.

Peterborough has a stunning Cathedral - but that's not enough for many people (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

They want you to "choose which provincial dirt hole in England is going to take the title of the worst place to live in the whole country".

With the vote in its final few weeks, the worst place list now boast its final contenders.

Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, leads the way with nearly 10% of the vote but with everyone allowed to state their case, things are changing all the time.

The organisers explain that it is still an open race - but say Portsmouth has been "surging".

The worst town in England is about to be named - and Peterborough is again in the running (Phil Harris)

Bedfordshire town Luton currently sits in second place.

The south gets a hammering in the poll, with Aldershot, Aylesbury and Slough sitting in the current top six.

Three London towns made the cut with Uxbridge, Hounslow and Harrow all included in the final list which is put to the public.

If the current results stay the same, it could be surprise news.

In a vote for levels of life satisfaction by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for 2020 to 2021, Peterborough was voted as the happiest place to live in Cambridgeshire.

Portsmouth is "surging" despite its popular Spinnaker Tower (Getty Images)

Not everything on the satirical website is all doom and gloom and instead of the 'c**p town' award, Brits can also vote for the place they think is the best to live.

After crowning Aylesbury last year, the website triumphantly announced: "At long last we have a new winner! Nothing gladdens our hearts more at iLiveHere towers when a underdog goes viral in the voting.

"We would like to thank every single person who shared the poll on Facebook and urged people to vote for this town. You did it. You trounced the competition, getting 25% more votes than Huddersfield. Hats off to you all."

The current results are....

1. Peterborough - 8.89 per cent
2. Luton- 5.42 per cent
3. Portsmouth - 4.15 per cent
4. Aldershot - 3.07 per cent
5. Aylesbury - 2.83 per cent
6. Slough - 3.70 per cent