House prices in Ilkley are defying the odds to remain sky-high as the turbulent market starts to stabilise.

Latest Land Registry figures show that homes in the priciest parts of town are selling for an average of £304,868 - more than double the £130,328 figure for the Yorkshire and Humber region.

But estate agents in Ilkley say prices in the town have been static since last summer.

Estate Agent Simon Thornton said that prices continued to be steady and were "neither plummeting through the floor or going through the roof."

"There has been no movement since last August," he said. "The prices came off the top in a minor way and been steady ever since."

In a separate report, the Nationwide recorded a national rise of 0.9 per cent in property prices last month -- a sign of recovery after they fell 0.6 per cent in March.

The building society said the move "continues the overall trend of a broadly flat path of price rises since the end of last year."

Bill Dale, from Ilkley estate agents Dale Eddison, said he had not seen an increase and prices remain broadly stable.

"What we saw before was a situation where we might have three or four buyers for every house and properties turning over very quickly," he said.

"At the moment there is probably a bit more property on the market so it is sticking."

Mr Dale said that the town had not been hit by a national trend for prices to fall at the end of last year.

He added: "There is a bit more choice now, but we have not seen a situation where there are so many properties for sale that prices come down."

Despite this stability, Land Registry figures show the average cost of homes in the region is still up 15.01 per cent from the same quarter last year.

Yorkshire and Humberside had the third biggest leap in house prices, but Mr Thornton said this was not indicative of Ilkley, which peaked much sooner.

"Areas like Ilkley are traditional hotspots and will perform much earlier than certain other areas," he said.

"If there is going to be a house price increase it will happen in Ilkley first and then they calm down a bit and the others catch up."

Although prices are up from last year the rate of inflation is slowing, with Nationwide reporting prices in April as 7 per cent higher than the same time last year -- down from 7.9 per cent in March.

Ian Briggs, Ilkley office manager at Dacre, Son & Hartley, said: "Providing interest rates remain static the market here will remain stable.

"There is no sign of over-flooding of the market, that would create a downturn, and we foresee a stable and sustainable market."