Some motorway service stations are "dingy and unattractive" and should be avoided, according to a survey by Holiday Which? magazine.

Others checked out were bright and modern with good facilities for children, the poll of 57 of Britain's 83 motorway service stations showed.

Two Midland service stations - Stafford Northbound on the M6 at Stafford and Hopewood Park on the M42 south of Birmingham - were praised by the reviewers.

Stafford was described as "spotless throughout", while Hopewood Park was said to have helpful staff, a good variety of food, and a smart cafe.

The worst was Cullompton on the M5 near Bristol which was "little more than a McDonald's next to a petrol station".

Cullompton's toilets had unflushed loos with missing seats and broken locks, said the Holiday Which? researchers.

The magazine was also unimpressed with Bothwell on the M74 east of Glasgow, which was "dreary and cluttered"; Trowell on the M1 near Nottingham, which was "dull, uninspiring, noisy and gloomy; and Magor on the M4 near Newport, South Wales, which was "a truly miserable experience".

The magazine rated Tebay on the M6 in Cumbria as the best service station - an attractive wooden building with terrific views, a decent restaurant and a local produce shop which was "as close as the motorway network comes to Harrods Food Hall".

Also recommended were Gordano on the M5 near Bristol, which had "downright stylish" toilets.

Holiday Which? said the quality of food varied considerably. At Gordano, the chicken tikka masala was "as good as a local curry house", but at Magor dinner tasted like "chilli con cardboard".

Holiday Which? editor Lorna Cowan said: "We found a wide variation in the quality.

"There's no reason why all service stations shouldn't be able to match the standards set by the best, so people can know what to expect when they see a sign."