LOVELY scenery, a busy cafe society and Edwardian charm proved a wonderful heady mix for Sue and Colin Wilkinson, as SUSAN GOODSON found out.

While Colin was from Bare, Morecambe and Sue from Yorkshire, it was Grange that won their hearts, especially once they found the apartment they moved into in 1999.

They progressed from day trips, to thinking about a second home to a permanent move.

It was during visits to see Colin’s parents that the couple came to love the town. They snapped up the apartment virtually straight after accepting a cash offer for their house.

Beech Court, 38 Cart Lane, Grange, is in a highly sought-after residential location with breathtaking views over the gardens to Morecambe Bay and beyond. Developed from an original 19th century detached stone period property, the apartment has a winding driveway skirting around a beautifully landscaped front lawn. There is off-road driveway parking and two garages.

Inside, a hallway leads to spacious main living rooms. The lounge has large, double-glazed windows with a window seat making the most of the stunning views.

The kitchen diner has a dining and reception space leading on to a high-quality modern fitted kitchen and then a utility area with a fitted pantry storage space. French doors from the kitchen dining area open on to a stone paved patio seating spot. There are two double bedrooms and a modern fitted three-piece shower room. Stairs lead down to a substantial three-cellar storage or workspace area.

To the back of the property is an attractive stone paved patio seating area with a stone-built out building.

Sue describes arriving in Grange when they were working as “experiencing a mental sigh of relief”.

She said: “We used to stay at the Netherwood Hotel, which is wonderful, and Grange itself is such a lovely and safe place, we love the cafes, the award-winning food shops and the fact that there are so many societies and things to do in the town.

“There are lots more families and children in the town now and Grange doesn’t have any problems.

“Once we knew we wanted to permanently move to the town we started house hunting but as soon as we walked into the apartment we knew it was the right one.

“It had been a house built in 1840 but then divided into two and we have the ground floor apartment.

“We put back many of the original features.

“The rooms are all lovely sizes and the house is flooded with natural light thanks to the big windows.

“We love the kitchen diner and we have spent hours in there because it is such a nice space. You can cook, eat and chat without people sitting in a separate room.”

Sue said: “The lounge is another lovely big room and with its big windows you can make the most of the views.

”There are also traditional features including a fitted shelving storage area.

“The two bedrooms are doubles, but the one seems smaller than the master because it has fitted cupboards on both sides.”

The one area of the house Sue and Colin haven’t made the most of are the three cellars, which have plenty of potential with the right planning permission in place.

Colin has just used them for storage but they did repair the slate floor. Outside the private garden at the back has been a very popular place to spend a lot of time.

Sue said: “We got rid of the leylandii hedge and now there is a mini haha to make the most of the view.

“Three or four years ago we had the garden landscaped.

“We have the most stunning sunrises, but one evening stands out.

“On Millennium night we sat out on the patio and watched all the fireworks going off around the bay."

The flat is in the old part of Grange, there is no through traffic, wonderful views and a peaceful air which the couple have loved.

Listening to Sue it is easy to pick up just how much the couple love their apartment and the town with its fabulous shops, but they do have a genuine and intriguing reason for selling.

They would happily take their home with them to Scotland where they are moving to.

They are avid players of the sport curling and will be joining a club in their new location.

Beech Court, 38 Cart Lane, Grange is on the market with Poole Townsend for £280,000.

For further details or to arrange a viewing please call the agent on 015395 33316 or call into the Grange office at 2 Regent House, Grange.