WORCESTER has long been called the Faithful City, now it may be the UK's politest city too, according to a new survey.

When it comes to welcoming guests to homes, nothing can hold a candle to Worcester residents, according to a survey by Turtle Mat, the door mat company.

The study examined nationwide attitudes to cleanliness, judged on the number of people who take their shoes off when in their own home and ask guests to do the same.

In a quintessentially British trait the majority of Brits always take their shoes off when in their own homes, but a lot are too polite to ask guests to do the same.

This trend was certainly true for Worcester, where 85 per cent residents asked said they always remove their shoes in their own home but almost two thirds would not ask guests to follow suit.

This puts Worcester residents in the top slot when it comes to courtesy at the door.

Rebecca Wilson, Home Shopping Manager at Turtle Mat, said: “When you go into someone else’s home you’re always faced with that dilemma at the door; wipe your feet and keep your shoes on, or unlace and go forth in socks only."

In Worcester, it seems, most householders put the feelings of guests above the need to avoid dirty footprints to the lounge.