A globe-trotting couple - who travelled hundreds of miles after a Portuguese campsite was closed – have finally settled into their new home in Brampton.

John and Sue Secker, both in their 70s, started their house search in mid-2019 after deciding to move back to Huntingdonshire from Gloucestershire.

Through the disruption of Covid-19 and travelling back to the UK from Portugal, they were finally able to move into their new Huntingdon home at Cala Homes’ Sarazen Gardens development in April.

John, who once worked as a civil engineer, said: “The parking space, separate access and a good-sized garden was just some of the key factors in influencing our decision.

“We liked the idea of Cala’s ‘Sales and Leaseback’ scheme, as we were intending to spend that winter in our caravan in Portugal.

“We sold our Gloucestershire property in late September 2019, and then completed on our house at Sarazen Gardens in early November that same year.

“Entering into a six-month leaseback agreement, our date of occupation was set to be the start of May 2020; so off we went to enjoy Portugal as planned.”

But with Covid-19 impacting everything from March onwards, the Portuguese authorities closed all of their campsites, as did France and Spain.

It meant that John and Sue spent three nights in motorway lorry parks on the way home – along with their dog, Cocoa.

Upon their eventual return to the UK - having travelled 400 miles a day for four days - they fortunately managed to find a campsite in Brampton that allowed them to stay.

John continues: “Cala could see our predicament and were fantastic in expediting the works to enable us to move into our new home at the earliest opportunity.”

The Secker’s were able to move in a month ahead of schedule, while the finishing touches were made to their new home.

“Everybody was as compromising as possible. We didn’t think it could be done or see an end to it," John added.

"But the Cala team were brilliant in getting the supply chain back to work, and operating as best as they could under the restrictions at that time."

For more information on Cala’s developments visit: www.cala.co.uk