HALF-A-DOZEN towns in Fife and Angus figure prominently among to top 14 Scottish seaside locations nominated by the Bank of Scotland for the highest quality of life in the country based on house price movements and key indicators.

Homes in Burntisland, Kirkcaldy, Montrose, Arbroath and Carnoustie have all crashed through the 50% rise barrier in the past three years, while St Andrews, pitched as the second most expensive place for homes after North Berwick, has risen only 42% since 2004.

Among seaside towns offering best value for money, with house prices below £140,000, Montrose, Kirkcaldy, Arbroath, Burnt-island and Carnoustie are in the top eight.

The most highly ranked for quality of life, which covers labour and housing markets, environment, education and health, are Dunbar and North Berwick.

Girvan is best-performing seaside town over the past year, with average house prices rising 41% to £131,512 to March. But Eyemouth saw the strongest house price increases over three years with average prices rising 82% to £155,278. Of the 10 largest increases in the UK over three years, the top nine were in Scotland.

Portree had the smallest three-year increase, 27%, followed by North Berwick and St Andrews.

The Bank of Scotland’s Tim Crawford said, “Scots seaside towns have generally seen strong house price growth. But there is still some value for homebuyers. Montrose, Dunoon and Kirkcaldy are the three Scots seaside towns offering best value for money.”