TWO Dorset towns have been declared among the best in the country for solar panels.

The data, compiled by makemyhousegreen.com, looked at the money saving potential of solar panels across the United Kingdom.

According to the findings, households across the country can save an average of £300 - but residents of Dorchester and Bournemouth can save almost four times that amount.

The study showed that an average sized property with 12 solar panels could save £1,252 a year in Dorchester and, in Bournemouth, around £1,236.

That placed Dorchester second in the country - behind only Brighton - with Bournemouth ranking fourth on the list.

Llewellyn Kinch, co-founder of MakeMyHouseGreen and UK energy auto-switching service Switchd, said: "It’s no surprise that different parts of the UK see different amounts of sunshine, but it might not be as well known that they’re also charged differently for the same tariff.

"That’s why the same house with the same usage and solar panel system can have different money savings depending on its location.

“There are a lot of factors to consider other than geographical differences. Such as how much electricity a household uses and when, the pitch and orientation of their roof, and the size of their solar panel system."