WEYMOUTH and Abbotsbury have been named among the ‘most charming’ towns in the UK.

The travel website Big 7 Travel recently released a list of their picks for the 25 Most Charming Small Towns In The UK.

Weymouth clearly charmed the jury - it was ranked seventh place on the list. The website said that Weymouth’s beach attractions and seaside scenery gave the town’s charm a big boost.

For the town’s entry on the list, the website said: “Fancy a seaside getaway?

"Weymouth is the perfect destination. Often described as ‘England’s Bay of Naples’, its golden sandy beaches, waterfront bistros and coastline scenery are just some of the highlights here.

"Kids will love the friendly donkeys on the beach and ample sandcastle-building ops. There’s also a lovely town market every Thursday.”

Weymouth was not the only Dorset town that received some love and recognition from the travel site.

Abbotsbury also clocked in at 14th place, with the site citing its “classical English charm” as justification for the ranking.

The list also recognised the Swannery, St Catherine’s Chapel and views of Chesil Beach as assets contributing to Abbotsbury’s charm.

Rye in Sussex was named the most charming small town ahead of Castle Combe in the Cotswolds and Polperro in Cornwall.

The top 10 entries on the list is as follows:

10. Portrush, Northern Ireland

9. Hawkshead, Cumbria

8. Crail, Fife, Scotland

7. Weymouth, Dorset

6. Cushendun, Northern Ireland

5. Shanklin, Isle of Wight

4. Beddgelert, Snowdonia, Wales

3. Polperro, Cornwall

2. Castle Combe, Cotswolds

1. Rye, Sussex