The village of Thursby has a thriving social scene, a good pub, happy primary school and good transport links. It also has a modern housing development, The Paddocks, home of Ian and Mary Gill since the estate was built in 2000.

The couple live in a well-maintained brick-built bungalow with two reception rooms, three bedrooms, one with en suite facilities, and a conservatory which the Gills added.

A major feature of the property are its solar panels which currently bring in about £1,400 a year.

Mrs Gill said: “We retired here from near Longtown. We didn’t know the area but were attracted by the bungalows. We liked them better than some we had seen because they had three bedrooms.”

Since then they have not had to do a great deal of upkeep, “but in 16 years there were bound to be some little things,” Mrs Gill explained.

“We had some paving laid outside because there was a strip of lawn on a slope and it was a bit awkward for my husband to cut.

“We’ve built a conservatory, put in cupboards in the second bedroom, a new shower in the en suite shower room and a new porcelain sink and tops in the kitchen.

“The solar panels were put on the roof five or six years ago, around the time the Government was offering good money to have them. It probably wasn’t the best investment for retirees but my husband liked the idea.

“We’re very happy with them. They give us about £1,400 a year which is a higher price than people get now. That goes back to the National Grid.”

Mr and Mrs Gill both love sitting in their conservatory in the sunny weather. It faces south east and gets the sun in the early morning and until late in the afternoon.

“We also like the living room which has an arch through to the dining room and the kitchen opens up into the utility room which is very useful,” she said.

Outside they have a driveway with room for two cars to park, as well as a single garage which has a door into the utility room. The gardens are mainly lawned with mature shrubs.

“We’ve not done a great deal to the gardens,” said Mrs Gill. “The builders left a little shrubbery and we’ve put shrubs in the back and there are have a few rose beds in the front.

“There’s also a lawn and fruit trees in the back – they’re apple, pear, plum trees which are just coming into decent production now.”

Before retiring, Mrs Gill worked in and around Carlisle as a teacher. Towards the end of her career she went into lots of different schools as a special needs teacher of reading for children with dyslexia.

Mr Gill was a farmer and latterly a postman. “That’s quite a job change but they’ve both early mornings!” his wife said. “His father had a farm and had to give it up through illness so my husband went to work for other people.

“That was in the Silloth area then we went to live in the East Midlands near Newark on Trent. That’s where the best dairy jobs were.

“Then we went to the north east for my husband to work as a dairy farm manager and then back here. We’re both born and bred Cumbrians.

“We like Thursby very much, it’s the sort of place that has a good mix and where we’re living has a good mix of retirees and families.

“The neighbours are nice and there’s a lot going on in the village – we have the church, chapel, a very well-supported village hall with WI, history society, whist, badminton and many other activities.”

The couple, who have two daughters, are moving to near Brampton to live with one of their girls and her husband. Mrs Gill said: “They want to look after us.”

The Paddocks at Thursby is for sale at £239,000 from H&H King, tel. 01228 810799. For more details, see here .