France and Spain will continue to be popular with British property investors, it has been claimed.

Christopher Chadd, head of research at Property Frontiers, said that regardless of what happens across global markets, "nothing speaks to the British investor's heart as much as owning that second home in the sun".

France and Spain are both easy to access from the UK, which means they will continue to attract Brits looking for homes abroad.

However, he noted that buyers are becoming increasingly concerned about currency fluctuations and claimed that many investors are beginning to look for expert advice on this issue.

Research published in December by Primelocation revealed that international property searches rose by 100 per cent in November 2009, compared to the previous year.

France and Spain continue to be the most popular hotspots for British buyers, with the latter accounting for approximately 30 per cent of searches.

Written by Emily Sanders