NELSON is the most affordable town in England for key public sector workers like nurses, teachers and firefighters, according to new research.

The town is one of only 30 per cent of towns across Great Britain where key workers can afford to buy a house, says building Society Halifax.

But homes in Burnley and Rossendale are classed as unaffordable for key workers, and far exceed the average wage of all workers.

Five years ago, the average house price in only 36 per cent of towns was unaffordable for all key workers.

In Nelson, the average house price has gone up from £53,000 five years ago to £108,000 this year. The house price to earnings ratio is 4.5 for nurses compared to the least affordable, Gerrards Cross in Buckinghamshire with a house price to earnings ratio of at least 20.8 for a key worker.

In Burnley the ratio is 5.6, with an average house price of £137,000 and in Rossendale, where the average house costs £150,000 it is 6.2.

The average wage in Nelson is £15,000, Burnley around £17,000 and Rossendale is about £18,000.

A Nelson estate agent, who asked not to be named, said: "We have seen house prices go up considerably over the last few years and although that is good news in one way, it also means people being priced out of the property market because wages have not kept pace with rises." Tim Crawford, Group Economist at Halifax, said: "Housing affordability contin-ues to deteriorate for key workers across Great Britain and it is now clearly not a problem confined to the south of England.

"Nurses face most difficulties climbing on to the housing ladder but all key worker occupations are likely to struggle to purchase a house apart from in Scotland.

"The government's key worker schemes are providing some relief but given recent trends there would clearly be benefits from broadening the reach."