We visited the Staffordshire neighbourhood with a charming community vibe - and one of the best chocolate shops in the UK

Filled with an abundance of green space and separated by small villages and towns, Cannock Chase is one of the loveliest places to settle in Staffordshire.

Nature lovers travel from all over to experience the area's nature reserves and forests, with history buffs visiting to gaze at the region's long heritage. 

However, one often overlooked area, but no less brilliant, is the village of Heath Hayes - the focus of our feature this week.

The small village high street along Hednesford Road consists of a library, two pubs, a community club, an independent chocolate shop and a cafe, as well as a post office and a local shop. 

While the high street may be small, the residents and shopkeepers love their area is anything but. 

Dan Ball, owner of Chocolate Teasures with his partner Summer Hevican, an award-winning independent chocolate shop on the high street and resident of Heath Hayes, said 'community' is the best aspect of the area. 

He said: "I think it's the community. The fact that we have people walk past, they aren't pressured to buy anything, they just drop in to have a chat and enjoy the interaction and the community, that's what we love the most. 

"It is quite an independently run high street, we only have a few chains, not that many, and people do use the independent shops, and we all support each other. It's really amazing."

Mr Ball also had a brief brush with royalty when he met King Charles III (a prince at the time) in 2018,  who gave positive feed back to his tasty chocolates for The Prince's Trust award.

He said: "I did meet King Charles III yes, he was a prince at the time. It was a great experience, he seemed to really enjoy the chocolate."

The area boasts three schools, all within a few minutes of each other, as well as a lovely community cafe. 

Carys Cecil, 18, of Heath Hayes, helps run the Heath Hayes Community Cafe with her dad. She said, "We have been here for six months now, and we have loved every second of it.

"These are some of the nicest people that you will ever meet. I don't think I can say I have had a bad experience at all here. The people are the best part of this area. They are all fantastic."

The high street is also home to a bespoke bakery, Cakes For Occasions, that makes lovely cakes for any special event. 

Jane Tenn, Heath Hayes resident and owner of Cakes For Occasions, said: "I think there is a bit of everything here. I always shop here, I buy everything from here, and we get a lot of customers who return to us.

"All of the shops support each other, too. Dan Ball refers customers to me, I refer them to him, and the same with the bridal shop down the road. It's a real community high street."

Local residents also adore their community, with one resident saying that moving to the area was the best thing ever. 

Georgia Hickman, who moved to the area five years ago, said: "It's a really friendly a peaceful place. I moved here five years ago, and everyone is so friendly. 

"The high street is fantastic too, it really has everything. You don't have to go far at all. It's a real community."