Ordinary people go about their typical lives in their average house before going to a common job - that's a day in the life of your 'average' Jo Bloggs in Aireborough.

The revelation, which came from a survey commissioned by BBC Online, showed that out of 8,000 other electoral wards across the country, Aireborough was the most middle-of-the-road kind of place.

The National Office of Statistics studied the data from the 2001 Census and came up with Aireborough - which includes Guiseley, Yeadon, Rawdon, Hawksworth village and parts of Menston - as the mediocre capital of Britain.

National Press descended on the area late last week to find out what makes the area so typical.

But is being average a good or a bad thing?

The Reverend Peter Sutcliffe, Vicar of St Andrew's Parish Church, Yeadon, who only moved to Yeadon in April said: "Statistically Aireborough may be the most average place in Britain, but in reality the people of Yeadon are some of the warmest, friendliest caring folk I have ever met, and of course that never shows in any statistics."

Councillor Makhan Thakur, who was collared by the national media to comment on "average Aireborough", said that the ward is a fantastic place.

He said: "I am not sure how to take the word average, will people see us as boring or are we quite fashionable? In my opinion, Aireborough is a fantastic place with a great range of people and I think we are quite unique in how well things are in Aireborough.

"I think that there are plenty of aspects to Aireborough which make it better than average, but there are no points that make it under average."A Guiseley couple taking a stroll around the town, said they were disappointed with the way things were changing, but that change was just a way of life, and therefore also quite average.

Aireborough ex-pats Katy and John Allen who live in Spain think that average is good, and Guiseley is a wonderful place.

The couple shifted over to Spain with John's hairdressing business, but he still visits the region to see his English clients.

"We have no problem with being average. We think it is a good thing. If the area was above or below, this could suggest some thing was wrong socially.

"It shows to us a good cross section of people and that is how we view our clients. The way Guiseley has grown in the last 25 years the area has done well to maintain its stability or averageness.

"One of the things I like about where we live now, is that it reminds me of when I was a child growing up in Guiseley, freedom to play, people not having to lock their doors and a closer village community.

"If anyone in Spain asks my children where they are from, they say Guiseley, and say it with pride."

Mark Saville, the man behind the History of Aireborough video, said that nowhere else is like the ward and it is definitely above average.

He said: "Aireborough is anything but average, it has housed some of the richest people in the country and boasts seven manor houses which is quite unique.

"There is huge manufacturing heritage in the area, and nowhere can boast that as well as Aireborough can.

"Aireborough has the Quaker meeting house, BMX at the Tarn in Yeadon, the airport, the proximity to Leeds and Bradford.

"It is wonderful."