Key to island lifestyle on offer at lock cottage

Lincomb Lock Cottage, located on an island between the River Severn and a weir in Stourport, is being advertised for sale after British Waterways decided to sell the dilapidated three-bedroom home. The cottage is being offered for the credit-crunch friendly price of £100,000 and is already proving popular with would-be island dwellers.

Once a designated lock keeper's cottage, Lincomb Lock Cottage can only be accessed by braving a walk across the lock gate.

British Waterways has decided to sell the Georgian house after building a modern home for the current lock keeper on the same little island. But the original cottage is now desperately in need of modernisation.

Estate agent Phipps and Pritchard is marketing the property and partner Tim Elliott is hopeful its unique charm will pull in potential buyers. He said: "The property has only just come on the market and already we have a number of viewings confirmed.

"This is a unique property and whenever something a bit different comes on the market, we do tend to get a lot of interest – people see it as potential to really stamp their mark on a property."

With a kitchen, dining room, living room, bathroom and three bedrooms, two with ensuite shower rooms, Mr Elliott says the property has bags of potential.

But the site has no fishing or mooring rights and could be at risk of flooding. "One thing to bear in mind is that although the cottage comes with designated parking, this is over the other side of the river as the cottage itself can only be accessed on foot over the lock," said Mr Elliott.

"It means that works access will be extremely difficult and any materials or furniture being brought in will either have to be carried along the lock path or brought up by narrowboat ."

British Waterways will retain access to the island which is also home to another property.