SWINDON residents have rushed to the town's defence after a widely circulated article online listed it as one of the worst places to live in the UK.

It placed was placed 31st out of 50 by website ILiveHere which routinely rubbishes cities and towns in the UK.

In an excerpt, it said: “The 'county lines' drugs supply business model could have been invented for Swindon.

"Eldene, Pinehurst, Penhill and the Parks are full of hoodies on stolen e-bikes delivering drugs and occasionally stabbing one another to death.

“The town centre has long had its lifeblood sucked away by the designer outlet (parking and traffic hell) and the Orbital shopping park, and is now a post-apocalyptic, boarded-up, wasteland of tramps and drunks screaming at each other.”

It also took aim at the closure of Honda, the number of Mcdonalds and the fact that a lot of people live in Swindon to commute elsewhere for work. 

Many have the regarded the list as having a lazy and cynical view of the historic town.

Supporters of the town include organisers behind Mfor Festival and the Swindon Community Notice Board Facebook page, Debra Collins and Graham Stobbs. 

Debra said: “We have great employment prospects, low housing costs, loads of leisure activities, good schools, diverse cultures & restaurants and the countryside within 10 minutes of the town centre.  

“Towns centres across the UK are struggling due to high rents and rates which is often mistaken for a local authority being at fault which isn’t the case. Consumers and their buying habits have changed and this is the biggest contributor to shops closing. 

“Finally, the people in the community are what makes a town a great place to live and gives it a heart, the heart of Swindon is its people, not bricks & mortar”.

Bill Williams of Covingham wrote in to the Adver about the article and said he 'begged to differ'.

"This town has served me well regarding full employment during my working life.

"The beautiful landscape of the county of Wiltshire.The friendships I have made from the Swindon people as well as the many families from all over Britain.

"From London to Inverness who came to this town for a better way of life for themselves and their families.

"If it is that bad a town, why did we all come here?"

Mr Stobbs said: "It’s easy to take for granted the facilities and entertainment we have on our doorstep.

“It’s easy to sit in an armchair on social media and criticise, put down and be negative about Swindon. Those trying to make a change and improve the town are put down by those who would do nothing but stay in their armchair. 

“It’s courageous to stick your head above the rest and make that change and deserves backing. It is down to us all to make Swindon better.

More than 110,000 I Live Here readers cast their ballots online as voting for this year’s list closed on New Year’s Eve, with Swindon branded "UK's most average town".