HIGH Wycombe has been ranked the ninth worst town in Britain to live in – behind the likes of London, Chipping Norton and York.

London took the top spot in the book Crap Towns Returns, which is out next week, with Bradford in second and Chipping Norton taking bronze.

Wycombe finished ninth behind Southampton, York, Gibraltar, Coventry and Nuneaton. Stoke-on-Trent rounded off the ‘top ten'.

A post by Curtley West on the book’s website slammed Wycombe’s nightlife and the “recession-ravaged skeletal remains of a High Street”.

He also claimed: “The complete ghettoisation that splits the urban area upon almost purely racial lines has resulted in an ever-brewing racial tension that gets worse year-on-year.”

Another contributor, Chris Smith, raised fears about violence in the town - despite crime falling again - before adding: “Wycombe takes all the good things in life and distorts them, decays them, mutilates them beyond all recognition.

“The sun never seems to shine in Wycombe; the birds drag themselves through the sky; the young girls are all dowdy.”

Wycombe District Council Leader Cllr Richard Scott defended Wycombe – one of only 35 destinations to have a Purple Flag Award, which recognises towns offering a safe night out.

He pointed out the Green Flag Award winning Rye and surrounding countryside, the ‘great shopping experience’ available in Eden and the town centre, and the “fantastic” Wycombe Swan.

Cllr Scott added: “We are currently building a brand new sports centre at Handy Cross and there is a wide range of other sports and leisure clubs in the town, which are always ready to welcome new members.

“We offer excellent education and business opportunities through our high achieving schools, a fantastic university, a skilled workforce and strong transport connections.

“Community spirit is strong, as evidenced by the people who've made Wycombe their home town. Wycombe may not be perfect in everyone's eyes, but don't knock it and definitely do not add it to THAT list!”

Mark Brown from Transition Town High Wycombe laughed off the nomination but believes there are issues that need to be addressed, namely the town’s lack of identity.

Despite charting in the 'crap town' list, Wycombe was nowhere to be seen on polls ran by the same website asking for people to name Britain’s ugliest and dullest places.

The book’s co-editor Sam Jordison said: “Crap comes in many forms. Very often the kind of towns that estate agents would describe as 'desirable' are the most stultifying, the most ugly and the most unpleasant to live in."