It was dogged by health fears over power lines when it was built - but 12 years on, does Didcot's Ladygrove estate hold the secret of long life?

The development, home to about 7,000 people, has the third highest life expectancy of any council ward in England and Wales, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics.

Its residents can expect to live to the ripe old age of 90 - only bettered by Moreton Hall, in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, and the Cumbrian village of Greystoke.

But what is making people on the estate live so long?

Where better to find the secret (and meaning) of long life than the church?

"Someone told me when I arrived in Didcot a year ago that I wouldn't have to do many funerals, because the estate has the elixir of life. The survey seems to have proved that," said Ladygrove Church minister Hugh Boorman.

He and his family moved to the estate last summer and, at 47 years old, Mr Boorman can expect to see many more birthdays.

But does he know why residents are expected to live until 90?

"I'm not sure that I can shed any light on that, but I'm glad they do. With so many twists and turns in our roads and footpaths, it takes that long to know the estate well enough not to get lost."

On a sun-baked afternoon, with the temperature in Fahrenheit fast approaching the life expectancy, plenty of residents have found their way to Ladygrove lakes - maybe they have the answer? Right at the heart of the estate, the two lakes provide a quiet sanctuary for residents.

Michael Hopkins, 55, and wife Barbara, 59, moved to the estate from the other side of Didcot three months ago - adding about 12 years to their prospects.

"You get a better house for your money here," said Mr Hopkins. "It's lovely for the kids to come round here, not far to the football club or the pub."

Pensioner Joyce Armstrong, 74, said Ladygrove had a good balance. She added: "There are more amenities now, there's the park and fishing. The cinema will be open next year too."

But could Ladygrove's green spaces and pubs give its residents an extra 12 years, compared with the rest of Didcot, south of the railway tracks?

Politicians usually have an answer to everything, so what does the town's MP Ed Vaizey think?

"Didcot and the surrounding area is a fantastic place to live and clearly there's something in the water," he said.

Something in the water... given the current shortages, there must be more to it than that.

Former Didcot mayor Fred Excell, 74, has a novel take on the reasons behind Ladygrove people's longevity - it's all down to traffic management.

"The county council made Cow Lane one-way, so they can't get over here, because they can't get back. But don't give them any credit."

"It might be more healthy if we sit at home and don't attend all these committees, it's less stress," he said with a wry smile.

Mr Excell, who lives south of the railway, added: "Was their health any worse when you could get in and out of Ladygrove? It would be nice for someone to tell me."

So the secret's out...