BELFAST may have been in the headlines for the wrong reasons following the attacks on Romanian immigrants, but a new survey found that it is the friendliest city in the UK.

The research, published days after racial harassment forced more than 100 Romanians to flee their homes, found almost a fifth of the city’s residents (18%) consider their neighbours as friends.

Nearly a third (32%) of Belfast residents said they were likely to chat with their neighbours on a daily basis, compared to only about one in 10 (9%) in Edinburgh and one in seven (14%) in London.

The survey found London was the least friendly city, with only one in every 100 people (1%) saying they considered their neighbours as friends.

Liverpool came fourth in the least friendly section with only seven per cent.

The poll for MasterCard found only one in 10 (9%) UK residents considered themselves to be on friendly terms with those living next door, and a third (33%) admitted they had been involved in a dispute with their neighbours.

More than half (54%) of all UK residents said their neighbours annoyed them.