ENGLAND is a nation of overweight, alcopop-swilling, sex-and-celebrity-obsessed TV addicts, according to a travel guide.

And the authors of the Rough Guide to England do not stop there.

"It's a nation where commuters suffer overpriced, underfunded public transport services and where the hearts of many towns consist of identikit retail zones."

Despite their comments, the authors encourage visitors to head for the North-East and North Yorkshire.

* It names York as the North's most compelling city;

* Newcastle is described as "full of elegant buildings and worth spending twice as much time there as originally planned";

* Commenting on Sunderland, it says that "the city centre has revived and the city now has some good visitor attractions";

* It also names Whitby as having the tenth best beach in England: "Acres of beach, rock pools, lighthouse, piers and promenade add up to Yorkshire's best family beach."

Despite the criticism, the guide also has praise for England, saying it is "a country of animal-loving, tea-drinking, charity donors thriving on irony and (BBC) Radio 4".

It also says that England is "a genuine haven for refugees and a country of immigrants from more than 100 ethnic backgrounds".

The guide also reckons that English people "can't agree on who or what they are" and that trying to communicate with a stranger in a public place in London "can be seen as tantamount to physical assault".

The authors conclude: "The only certainty for visitors is that however long you spend in England, and however much you see, it still won't be enough to understand the place."