House prices in Swindon increased by 1.1 per cent in July, contributing to a 4.4 per cent rise over the last 12 months.

The latest data from the Office of National Statistics shows that the average property in the area sold for £218,548 – below the UK average of £231,422.

Across the south west, property prices have risen by 4.4 per cent in the last year, to £259,971. The region outperformed the UK as whole, which saw the average property value increase by 3.1 per cent.

The data comes from the House Price Index, which the ONS compiles using house sale information from the Land Registry, and the equivalent bodies in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The average homeowner in Swindon will have seen their property jump in value by around £67,000 in the last five years.

The figures also showed that buyers who made their first step onto the property ladder in Swindon in July spent an average of £188,160 – around £57,000 more than it would have cost them five years ago.

Lawrence Bowles, associate director of the research team at estate agents Savills, said the slowing national house price growth reflected a "stricter lending environment".

"People are also waiting until we have got a clear idea on what Brexit means, before they make a big financial decision like buying a house," he explained.

Mr Bowles said the uncertainty was affecting the capital the most, as it was the most international city in the UK.

He continued: "We are also starting to see a reverse ripple effect, which originally only hit London but now house prices in the south east and east of England are slowing as well. As house prices in London rose out of reach of many buyers, they looked out to the south east and east where they could get more house for their money.

"Now, house price affordability in those regions has also become stretched."

Mr Bowles said this had caused buyers to stop commuting to London, and look further afield.

"The north west was the fastest growing region in July, recording 5.6 per cent house price inflation.

"The south west, west midlands, Wales, Yorkshire, and Scotland also outperformed the UK average."