WREXHAM has been revealed as the UK’s second friendliest town or city in the newly created ‘Thomas & Friends Friendship Index’.

Launched to mark International Friendship Day today on July 30, Thomas & Friends Friendship Index is the culmination of an in-depth study of 3,000 adults across the nations and ranks towns and cities according to the friendliness of its residents, with questions around kindness, encouragement and looking after others.

The Leader:

Wrexham was narrowly pipped to top spot by the Oxfordshire city, while Gloucester and Aberdeen also scored highly to take third and fourth spots respectively.

The UK’s 20 friendliest cities according to the friendship Index (see how results were calculated in press release below):

1. Oxford – 21.8

2. Wrexham – 21.5

3. Gloucester – 20.8

4. Aberdeen – 20.7

5. Worcester – 20.5

6. Aberystwyth – 20.4

7. Portsmouth – 19.7

8. London – 18.8

9. Coventry – 18.5

10. Swansea – 18.3

11. Brighton and Hove – 17.9

12. Edinburgh – 17.2

13. Belfast – 16.7

14. Manchester – 16.6

15. Wolverhampton – 16.5

16. Cardiff – 16.3

17. Southampton – 15.9

18. Sheffield – 15.9

19. Plymouth – 15.8

20. Bristol – 15.5

Wrexham did come top when it came to telling people they value their friendship.

The Friendship Index research has been carried out globally and has also named friendliest cities of Australia (Sydney), New Zealand (Auckland), Italy (Naples), Greece (Irakleion), Turkey (Izmir) and Poland (Kielce).

Oxford joins these six other friendliest places to have topped the Thomas & Friends Friendship Index from around the world, to be given the honour of being twinned with the Island of Sodor.