FEARING the prospect of imminent nuclear war as America and North Korea continue to aim threats at each other?

An estate agent has suggested the best places to live in the region where they may be “radiation free” options to get on the housing ladder.

The firm eMoov said the seaside resort of Whitby, in North Yorkshire, and Berwick-upon-Tweed in Northumberland, provided affordable choices with homes likely to cost an estimated £165,879 and £150,460 respectively.

It plotted impact zones from major cities across the UK which may be targeted, including Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester, Hull, Liverpool and Sheffield.

The tongue-in-cheek analysis, in the form of a ‘nuclear house hunting guide’, suggested Darlington may escape relatively unscathed, being just on the fridges of the thermal radiation radius emanating from Newcastle and Leeds.

Chief executive of eMoov.co.uk, Russell Quirk, admitted its research was “just a bit of fun”.

He said: “Luckily, we’re out of range from any North Korean missiles, but if the world was to descend into nuclear madness the fall out would mean house prices would probably become irrelevant.

“That said, with buyer demand already at explosive levels compared to the ground zero stock levels available, a nuclear war could see these more affordable areas grow in value as demand for a house still standing outside of an impact zone increases.

“If nothing else it will get people to think outside the box of the UK’s major cities, to alternative areas that they may not have considered previously in terms of home ownership.”