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They used to be rare sights as symbols of the rich around cities and towns.

But now the UK has 11,673 streets where the average home is valued at over £1million – 1,782 more than a year ago.

Property website Zoopla found the South East outside London accounts for about half the increase, with 942 more £1million-plus streets over the past year compared with 262 in the capital.

The phased end of the stamp duty holiday in the summer prompted a rush of buyers snapping up homes.

Many people have also been searching for bigger properties as they make lifestyle changes as a result of the pandemic.

For the 13th year in a row, Kensington Palace Gardens in west London (file photo) was Britain's most expensive street, with homes priced at £29.9million on average

Grainne Gilmore, of Zoopla, said: 'London comes top when it comes to the UK's prime markets, but the wider commuter zone in the South East is also home to some of the highest-value addresses.'

For the 13th year in a row, Kensington Palace Gardens in west London was Britain's most expensive street, with homes priced at £29.9million on average.

In second place was Courtenay Avenue in Highgate, north London (£19.4million) while Grosvenor Crescent in the capital's Belgravia rounded off the top three (£17.2million).

Outside London, Titlarks Hill in Sunningdale, Berkshire, was the most expensive street in Britain (£8.4million).

Zoopla counted 176 £1million-plus streets in Guildford, Surrey, 137 in Reading, Berkshire and 105 in Altrincham, Greater Manchester.

That compares to nine in the whole of Wales.