Drivers have rated Gloucester services on the M5 among the best in the UK, in a new ranking built from what they say about service areas on Google.

The farm shop services between junctions 11A and 12, is third in the UK with 4.45 stars from 41,924 reviews across its northbound and southbound sites, more reviews than any other service area.

Gloucester also came top in the latest Which? survey of motorway services.

The ranking comes from family holiday specialists at Ski Famille, who analysed Google ratings for 97 motorway service areas across the UK this month, ahead of the October half-term getaway.

Each service area was ranked by its average score, worked out from its full star breakdown, with both sides of the motorway combined where Google lists them separately.

Alex Dyer, Managing Director at Ski Famille, said: “Most families will stop at least once on a long half-term drive, and the gap between a good service station and a poor one can be a single junction.

“It's worth looking up the next couple of stops before you set off, rather than pulling in wherever the fuel light comes on. For parents, clean toilets and somewhere for the kids to stretch their legs matter far more than a big food court, and that's what the top-rated sites get right.”

Only Rotherham services on the M1 and Rugby services on the M6 are rated higher on Google.