WORCESTERSHIRE'S housing market has become so hot that one county law firm has opened its own property shop to cope with business.

Morton Fisher Solicitors has opened a dedicated residential property service, which combines home buying and selling, mortgage advice and conveyancing under one roof.

The firm, based in The Tything, Worcester, believes the new venture - in conjunction with Solicitors Property Shops - is the first of its kind in the West Midlands and hopes to bag its share of the multi-billion-pound housing market that shows no signs of cooling.

Last month, the Evening News revealed that house prices in Worcestershire were continuing to rise, with the average house price increasing by 13 per cent in the past year.

The first Morton Fisher SPS has opened at the firm's Bromsgrove office, in the High Street, and Chris Bovey, head of residential conveyancing, said the firm hoped to simplify what could be a "very difficult and emotive" experience.

"Traditionally, moving house has been an experience fraught with stress as the often inexperienced home owner or buyer seeks to co-ordinate finding the property or buyer, organising a mortgage offer, instructing solicitors and hopefully moving, on an agreed date," he said.

"At our new property shop we will be able to offer all the services needed to move house under one roof.

"Instead of making three different phone calls to your mortgage company, your solicitor and the estate agent, you just make one call and speak to someone who knows the details of your case and can phone you back with regular updates."

Heading up Morton Fisher's property shop will be independent financial adviser Lloyd Grandison, who has more than 2,000 mortgage deals at his fingertips, as well as pensions and life assurance products. He said the property shop would provide clients with "a complete service".

"For example, we will have clients' deeds in our hands at an early stage, enabling us to identify, and rectify, any potential conveyancing problems before a buyer is found.

"We'll also be able to prepare the sales contract and supporting paperwork sooner than usual, so that when we find a buyer for the property, there should be minimal delay in completing the process."

Established longer than 200 years ago, Morton Fisher has offices in Worcester, Bromsgrove, Kidderminster, Stourport-on-Severn, Bewdley, as well as Halesowen, West Midlands, and Shropshire.