WORCESTERSHIRE house prices have seen the sharpest rise since 1994, according to a leading housing body.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) said price inflation across the region showed no signs of slowing.

This bucks the national trend, which has seen the housing market cool.

Growth in new enquiries has remained steady for the past six months in Worcestershire, again bucking the national trend.

According to national reports, consumer confidence has peaked and buyers are refusing to pay the high prices with a resulting decrease in new enquiries.

RICS, which represents all aspects of the housing market, including surveying, construction, planning and valuation, said prices in Worcestershire had experienced the sharpest rise since the institution began compiling regional data in 1994.

During June, 82 per cent of chartered surveyors in the region reported a rise in prices, up eight per cent on last month's figures. Compared with the same period last year, house prices in Worcestershire have risen by 16 per cent.

"Throughout the region, chartered surveyor estate agents are reporting an acute shortage of housing stock," said Harvey Williams, RICS spokesman for the region.

"The average number of houses on their books fell to just 72 per surveyor, down from 88 per surveyor in May.

"We are currently facing a situation in many areas where a property sells within a couple of days of going on the market in the hot spot areas.

"People could become reluctant to put their houses on the market as they hear about a shortage of supply and fear being left with nowhere suitable to buy, further adding to the shortage of houses."

He said house building was at its lowest level since 1924, with 42,000 fewer houses built last year than the year before.

"This shortage needs a long-term solution and the construction of more houses is the logical answer to the problem.

"With price growth accelerating at the second fastest pace in the country, we would urge the government to engage with Worcestershire when deliberating the long-term solutions to the housing shortage," said Mr Williams.

"Despite anecdotal evidence in the rest of the country that the market will start to cool, all the signs indicate that house prices in the region will continue an upward trend for the coming months."