A holiday cottage complex in Lorton Vale in the Lake District has been sold to a business woman from Kidderminster.

High Swinside Self-Catering Holiday Cottages has been sold by Colliers International from a guide price of £795,000 following the retirement of the business’ owners.

Jacques and Hilary Hankin are retiring from the self-catering industry but will continue to live in the area.

New owner, Diana Clark, is relocating from Kidderminster in North Worcestershire to oversee the operation of the business.

The self-catering accommodation complex currently has an annual turnover of £33,000 something that Ms Clark is keen to build on and improve and offers views across Buttermere and as far as Scotland.

High Swinside features a three-bedroom detached owners’ house and three self-catering furnished holiday letting properties converted from original barns and farm buildings.

Haydn Spedding, associate director, hotels and licensed property at the Manchester office of Colliers International, secured the sale for an undisclosed sum and said that the property had a lot of potential in the region.

Ms Spedding said: “Diana is genuinely excited about the purchase and plans to significantly increase the annual turnover of the business by investing further in the holiday cottages.

“The sale was negotiated following the recent flooding of the Lake District and further underlines the confidence of purchasers in the Lake District as an iconic holiday destination.”