Britain’s most nosey neighbours when it comes to property prices have been uncovered by Zoopla.

Its investigation has revealed that homeowners in Bedford are the most ‘hawk-eyed’ in Britain, meaning they take the keenest interest in the value of their own property.

Indeed they check on the price of their own property 67 per cent more times than the average Brit.

However homeowners in Reading are the most nosey when it comes to checking on the value of their neighbours’ properties.

They check how nearby properties are performing 61 per cent more than the average UK homeowner.

In second and third place after Reading are Cambridge, where homeowners check prices 52 per cent more than the UK average, and Bedford where the rate of checking is 51 per cent above average.

By contrast, the least likely homeowners to check on prices are the Scots.

The rate that they check on prices is 32 per cent below the UK average.

The information was collated by comparing the number of free instant valuations made online by homeowners and neighbours in the UK’s biggest 50 towns to the UK average.

Zoopla spokesman Lawrence Hall, said: “Homeowners in Bedford and Reading clearly have their finger on the pulse and are keeping an eye on developments, not only within their own four walls, but also over the fence.”

Zoopla found that the higher the average property value in an area, the greater the level of interest is in prices.

For instance the average price in the most ‘hawk-eyed’ towns is £319,080, almost twice the average value of properties in the towns that are in the bottom ten.