A caravan park, which has offered a haven for countryside lovers in the heart of rural Northumberland, is to be given a new lease of life with the help of Defra's Rural Enterprise Scheme (RES).

Coe-Burn Caravan Park first opened more than 40 years ago and has been a home-from-home for generations of families who have enjoyed it as a quiet, country retreat.

Now, its owners Peter and Eileen Wiggins are investing thousands of pounds, including a RES grant, to update services at the site and help ensure it remains an attractive respite for generations to come.

The couple were able to take advantage of the new RES "fast track" application process. RES fast track is available to small-scale projects applying for a grant of up to £15,000. The new process significantly reduces the time taken to approve applications for small projects to one month or less, enabling projects to start much more quickly.

Eileen, a retired care home worker, explained:

"The caravan park was opened by Peter's father in 1961 with just five caravans, mostly static, with some tourers. We've lived here about 21 years and now we have permission for 34 caravans, all statics.

"We have 23 occupied at the moment and we're confident with the work we're putting into the site that we can attract tenants for the extra pitches.

"It's a lovely spot, right in the heart of Northumberland, close to many of the region's attractions. Although we are not far from the A697, the site is very peaceful and a great place to see the local wildlife - we get around 56 different species of birds including lapwings, tree sparrows, curlew, woodpeckers, goldfinch, dipper, moorhen, siskin, owls and heron, not to mention red squirrels, badgers and deer.

"It's the very fact that it's so peaceful and offers a chance to get closer to nature that makes the site so attractive and we don't plan to change that. The work we're carrying out involves installing mains electric and facilities to allow flushing toilets and water in the caravans - even though we have a more than adequate shower and toilet block, people prefer the privacy of their own facilities these days.

As more new tenants come on site and money becomes available, the Wiggins will be installing a new children's playground and improving the car park and access route to the caravans.

Eileen added:

"It's a big investment for us, particularly as we're both now retired, but the support we've had from Defra has helped and it should ensure the business continues for years to come."

Joanne Moody, an adviser at the Rural Development Service in the North East, said:

"RES aims to help farmers and others running rural businesses to develop new ideas to ensure a sustainable future for their businesses. The fast track scheme is particularly useful as it streamlines the application process for small-scale projects allowing us to release funds much more quickly.

"The Wiggins are keen to make the most of the existing caravan site's appeal as a restful, rural retreat and are installing these new services to meet modern day demands."

To find out more about Coe-Burn Caravan Park, contact Eileen Wiggins on 01665 574351.