Empty shops in Ashford have more than doubled in the last 12 months according to new figures released by the Local Data Company.

Meanwhile in Folkestone the total is nearly twice as many in December 2009 when compared with the year before.

Ashford now has the same rate of empty shops as Scotland's capital of Edinburgh.

Figures show that Ashford town centre has a total of 202 shops. Over 7 per cent of those are empty as of December 2009, up from 6 per cent in June that year and up from 2 per cent in December 2008.

The town comes 16th in the top 20 list of vacancy rates in the south east.

Margate tops the list with over 27 per cent of its shops remaining empty and boarded up.

Folkestone town centre has a total of 224 shops. Over 15 per cent of those are empty as of December 2009, up from 14 per cent in June that year and up from 8 per cent in December 2008.

The town comes 6th in the top 20 list of vacancy rates.