Off the road and into the driving seat, Jeremy Clarkson was selected as the perfect mayor with a third of votes, while 32 per cent of people would ask David Beckham to organise their local sports day.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Liam Neeson, teamed with Kirstie Allsop, were favourites to run the Neighbourhood Watch scheme, while Lewis Hamilton took pole position to deliver in the role of postman.

This star-studded line up reveals who West Midlanders think would be the best local leaders to build a strong community spirit and sense of identity. But when asked about reality, the picture was a very different story. In fact, the survey revealed that ‘real life’ pales in comparison; with almost three quarters of West Midlands residents’ feeling like there is average to little or no community spirit where they live.

The results, compiled by Coventry-based builders’ merchant, Jewson, whose Building Better Communities initiative is offering £100,000 of funding for community projects across the country, look to highlight the importance of community in the UK and what makes a great place to live.

The best way to improve a community, according to 28 per cent of residents, would be by having an annual street party or festival, followed by a well-equipped community centre at 12 per cent.

David Fenton, Marketing Director at Jewson, commented: “With less than ten per cent of the West Midlands’ residents reporting to live somewhere with a strong sense of community spirit, it’s no surprise that they’ve chosen big personalities to run their ideal town, who would bring character, personality and an element of fun to their daily lives.

“Our research also shows that while 69 per cent of people would like to do more for their communities, 38 per cent say there aren’t enough hours in the day to do so. That’s why we’re asking people across the West Midlands to nominate local causes close to their hearts so we can help them achieve the communities they dream of.”