A POSTCODE area in Basingstoke has been named as one of the most burglary-free in the country.

The RG24 postcode, which includes Lychpit, Old Basing, Popley and Sherborne St John, was one of nine postcode districts to have a negligible home insurance burglary claim rate over the past 12 months.

The other “safe” areas included parts of Devon, East Yorkshire and County Antrim in Northern Ireland, while Chandler’s Ford and Havant also made it into the top 20.

Independent councillor Onnalee Cubitt, who represents the Basing ward on Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, said the survey proved that the district is a great place to live, but added that people without home insurance could skew the data.

She added: “Certainly I do know that for my ward it is not surprising, and it’s another affirmation that it is a place worth protecting.”

The M21 postal code district, which includes the Chorlton-cum-Hardy and Barlow Moor areas of Manchester, had the most claims, with 45.2 burglary claims per 1,000 enquiries last year.

Other areas with high rates of claims included areas of London, two areas of Liverpool and parts of Birmingham, Doncaster and Leeds.

The data was based on 3.1million home insurance quotes which were run through the MoneySuper-Market website in the past 12 months.

The research claimed that on average, householders living in higher risk postcodes will pay 24 per cent more for their cover compared to the national average, which equates to an extra £36 for their policy.

Kevin Pratt, home insurance expert at Money-SuperMarket.com, said: “Just because somewhere is named a claim hotspot, it doesn’t actually mean the area in question is not a nice place to live.

“Thieves often target areas with wealthy residents and desirable properties where the rewards are potentially greater, or quieter areas where they think there is less risk of being caught red-handed.”