THEY say home is where the heart is and for thousands of Eastenders, south Essex has been where they have chosen to settle for generations.

Now new research has confirmed families from the East End are more likely tomake the county their home than Bow Bells or Tower Hamlets, in the heart of East London, where the famous Cockney accent was born.

Dr Sue Fox, socio-linguistic expert from Queen Mary, University of London, has found once rural areas of Essex have become increasingly urbanised since the Fifties, and today are home to a large number of Eastenders.

She said: “The sheer number who havemoved from the traditional East End into the surrounding areas of London, and in particular Essex, have ensured the influence of Cockney is still exerted in these areas. Many features of the dialect can be heard there.”

Retired Len Lierens, 80, moved to Southend from the East End at the age of 12.

He said: "I got to a local care centre, and virtually all the people there are from the East End.

"There was a big influx of Eastenders who moved to Southend, but I think in recent years they are more likely to move to Basildon because there is less housing available here than what there used to be."

Derek Jarvis, Southend councillor responsible for culture and tourism, said: “I understand why people have moved here.

“I speak to a great number of people from my ward who are from the East End, and 99 per cent of the time they feel it was a fantastic move.

"Whether they mention our parks and local amenities, or even the efficient collection of waste in their area, they are always complimentary, when comparing it with London.”

It is thought London borough councils’ new cash incentive schemes, launched at the beginning of the year, could tempt even more Londoners to move to south Essex.

With authorities such as Hackney Council offering tenants at least £500 to move to areas with lower rents, Southend may see another
surge in EastEnders.