As series three of the popular crime drama, Broadchurch, returns to our screens, West Dorset will be in the spotlight once again.

The dramatic cliffs of West Bay, just south of Bridport, provide the stunning setting for the series, but the seaside town is not unused to media attention: the 2015 TV version of Thomas Hardy’s Far From The Madding Crowd was also filmed in West Bay as well as around Sherborne, Eype, Durdle Door and Beaminster.

The county’s star status will be further showcased in the summer, when the epic war thriller, Dunkirk, is set to hit the big screen. And later in the year, Chesil Beach, near Weymouth, will take centre stage in the adaptation of Ian McEwan’s novel, On Chesil Beach.

There is invariably a spike in interest when these beautiful locations are on our screens, but West Dorset has always had a strong following, with price increases of 24 per cent over the last 10 years. People move to the area for two main reasons: schools and lifestyle change. The area has some of the best schooling in the country. Savills research found 79 per cent of pupils in West Dorset are in top state schools and independents, ahead of traditionally popular places like Kent and the Home Counties.

The change in lifestyle offered by the area is also something many find very appealing, from young professionals to those moving out for early retirement. We still see people buying second homes in the area, particularly on the coast. Bridport, Lyme Regis and the surrounds provide plenty of choice of smaller houses that are ideal for weekend boltholes.

Other picturesque small towns include Wareham, Beaminster and Sherborne, arguably the county’s most perfect town, boasting a good choice of period and newer properties.