SWINDON has been ranked in a new survey as the third best place in the south west for Bridget Joneses and their male counterparts to find a mate.

The Pulling Power Index, published by British Gas, ranks areas according to a scoring system based on the number of single people aged 18 to 34.

It gives Swindon a pulling power rate of 103, while Cheltenham scores 104 and top-rated Boscombe in Dorset scores 128.

Dorchester, Bournemouth and Barnstaple are the places with the lowest numbers of single people, and are ranked by British Gas as the last places in the South West to look if one has meeting a partner in mind. The results of the survey are one of several sets of local data held on the British Gas website, which can be found at www.house.co.uk.

The idea behind the site is to provide people with information about areas they may be considering moving to.

Company spokesman Mark Inskip said: "It seems like Boscombe is the place to head for if you're looking for your own Bridget Jones or Mr Darcy.

"The index offers a guide to the hottest hunting grounds in the country, but it also highlights the areas where you'll face more competition if you're searching for a partner."