Bamburgh and Dartmouth have been voted the UK's best seaside towns in Which? survey

With most of us likely to be holidaying in the UK this summer, instead of abroad, Which? have released the UK's most popular seaside destinations.

Bamburgh, in Northumberland, topped the charts, with many fans of the seaside town declaring that its long sandy beach and castle view was a winner in their eyes.

Two other popular beachside destinations came in joint second - Darmouth in Dorset and Tynemouth, in Tyne and Wear. However, more familiar places such as Skegness and Margate didn't fare very well in the survey.

The survey, which quizzed 4,000 holiday makers, ranked nearly 100 towns and villages against one another.

Bamburgh, topped the list of UK seaside locations, with customers giving it a score of 85 percent and five stars for its beaches, tourist attractions and scenery.

The coastal town also got a big thumbs up for value for money - with most hotels half the price of those in more popular Cornwall locations. However, it seems many have already found out about its charm - as others went on to say that restaurants need to be prebooked, due to its popularity. 

Dartmouth in Devon and Tynemouth, in Tyne and Wear, both came in second, with visitors scoring the destinations overall at 84 per cent. The holiday towns were given five stars for their picturesque seafronts, while fans of Tynemouth loved what the town had to offer when it came to food and drink.

In Scotland, holidaymakers scored St Andrews as Scotland's best beach town - giving its tourist attractions and value for money five stars. While Aberaeron in Wales came in overall fifth - scoring 82 per cent.

The editor of Which? Travel, Rory Boland, said: "Many of us discovered the joy of a British summer holiday last year and the trend looks set to continue well into this summer. The results of our survey show that bigger is rarely better, with smaller and less crowded resorts taking the top spots over better-known destinations.

"Given the crowds and prices at some of Britain's most popular seaside destinations, the best news from the survey is just how many highly-rated destinations we have to choose from. 

"Whether you want a village with a beach or a big town with all the fish and chips you can eat, there is a fantastic spot by the sea for you."