Increases by region

Wales: 6.48% North: 7.09% London: 6.65% South East: 12.9% East Anglia: 14.9

However, scarce supply and strong demand means that prices are rising in most areas of the UK - and that is despite all the talk of an economic slowdown.

House price rise "hot spots" were in England with the south east , the Midlands and East Anglia were all well above average.

But the figures for the three months to June show Wales is trailing bottom of the pack recording the lowest price growth of any economic region.

Hot spots

Wales saw the slowest price increases, with prices rising by just 6.48% during the year, taking the average cost of a house from �64,767 to �68,963.

There are hot spots - notably places like Cardiff and Monmouthshire - but elsewhere sluggish economic conditions have kept prices more or less static.

The borough of Blaenau Gwent in south east Wales - which has been hard hit by job losses including the rundown of the Corus plant at Ebbw Vale in the last year - has the cheapest homes in England and Wales.

The average house there still costs less than �35,000 - only around a third of the overall figure for England and Wales.

Contrast that with Greater London where an average price of �410,066 means a detached house is the most expensive property to buy.