Dumfries doomed to miserable stereotype

The writers of Dad's Army were accused of crude stereotyping when the lugubrious undertaker chosen for their sitcom turned out to be Scottish.

But it seems Jimmy Perry and David Croft knew what they were doing in casting John Laurie as Private Frazer. For Laurie was a native of Dumfries and Galloway, the region of Scotland identified yesterday as home to the most miserable people in Scotland.

A poll of 2,247 people reveals that the residents of Dumfries and Galloway have a greater fear of crime, feel less healthy and are more depressive than any other community.

A quarter of those asked said they felt "not very safe" or "not at all safe" walking the pavements. The county has one of the lowest crime rates in Scotland.

The survey also found that residents of Dumfries and Galloway was less satisfied with its level of health and fitness than any other community.

Only 71 per cent described themselves as fit and healthy, 10 points less than the national average, while one in three considered themselves unfit – twice as many as the residents of the Highlands and Grampian region.

Sean Marshall, a Dumfries and Galloway councillor, who was bemused by the poll's findings, said: "I think people are talking about their inherent fears rather than real ones."

The happiest place to live in Scotland was the Highlands, where low crime figures and a strong sense of community had encouraged a more optimistic atmosphere.