Scientists have discovered where the ugliest people in Britain live…

It is known for its rugged coastline, love of leeks and Tom Jones.

But Wales can also be a hotspot for less attractive Brits.

One American scientist has controversially suggested that uglier people are ‘migrating to places like Wales’.

More positive news for the English, however, is that the South East ‘attracts the good people’ and ‘repels the bad people’.

This is according to Professor Daniel Hamermesh, an expert in pulchrononomy – the economics of beauty – at the University of Texas.

More positive news for the English, however, is that the South East ‘attracts the good people’ and ‘repels the bad people’

Adrian Zivelonghi practices ahead of the World Gurning Championships – perhaps one of the ugliest sports

In his research he analyzed data from the 1958 National Child Development Study, which followed the lives of 17,415 people born in England, Scotland and Wales in one week of 1958.

At age seven and again at age 11, teachers of students born between March 3 and 9, 1958 were asked to rate their attractiveness on a sliding scale during the school year.

Options included “attractive,” “unattractive,” “normal,” or “abnormal feature.”

They did not detail what an objective beauty standard was.

In several later waves of the survey, including 1991, 1999, 2004 and 2009 – at ages 33, 41, 46 and 51 – respondents were also asked questions to rate their happiness and overall satisfaction with life.

Writing in the National Bureau of Economic Researchthe researchers said: ‘The South East attracted good-looking people, while less good-looking people moved elsewhere in Britain.’

Scotland and Wales were where the least handsome people were, he discovered.

Scientists also found that more attractive children were more likely to become economically successful.

Professor Hamermesh also told us The times: ‘Throughout our lives we suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.

“The excessive luck in this case is that some people look pretty bad when they are born and grow up.”

Previous studies have revealed a number of factors that influence your physical beauty.

This includes facial symmetry, flirtatiousness and self-confidence. Research has also shown that attractive people earn more.

The controversial conclusions were drawn by Professor Daniel Hamermesh, an expert in pulchrononomy – the economics of beauty – at the University of Texas.

Previous studies have revealed a number of factors that influence your physical beauty. This includes facial symmetry, flirtatiousness and self-confidence

Professor Hamermesh estimated in his book that attractive people earned an average of £145,000 more in their lifetime than those with below-average looks.

A beautiful woman would earn four percent more, and handsome men three percent more, than their plain counterparts.

Meanwhile, another study suggested that handsome men at age 40 got a salary increase equivalent to having an average of five years of work experience.

In August, American researchers even discovered that ‘ugly’ men live on average almost a year less than those who looked handsome.

And unattractive women die on average two years earlier than those who are blessed in terms of appearance.

Attractive politicians are also more likely to win.

A German study showed that differences in attractiveness between candidates accounted for 3 percent of the votes.