A CHOCOLATE-box cottage nestling on the banks of the River Severn in rural Worcestershire is every estate agent's dream.

With selling points such as mooring and fishing rights, private gardens and five bedrooms - what more would a prospective buyer want?

The answer is stilts.

For the past 300 years, Camp Cottage, Bevere, near Worcester, has suffered from more than a mild case of rising damp as flood waters have been known to rise to 4ft.

Over more than 50 years, owners David and Vivienne Melling have become used to leaving their home by boat rather than car. Now they have had enough and are emigrating to sunnier climes.

The couple have won planning permission to demolish the cottage and re-build above the flood plain with a modern stilted house.

"It really is a beautiful spot, but most of the time we're in the river with our furniture floating towards the North Sea," said Mr Melling.

"We've lost two Bentleys to flood waters and were even thinking of getting a mini hovercraft.

"I bought the house back in the late 1940s and the first time it flooded we had to be rescued by the fire brigade as the boat had been pinched.

"We're now spending more and more time at our other home in Cyprus and have decided to emigrate.

"The cottage is really too big for us now. We spend all our time doing the gardening and cleaning.

"Despite the flooding, we've loved living here, but the waters have rotted the building, so we're amazed it's still standing.

"We couldn't have sold it in that state, so I spent six months winning approval to demolish the old cottage and build a stilted house which would offer protection from floods."

Outline planning permission was granted by Wychavon District Council.

Camp Cottage is now due to be auctioned at 6pm on Monday, September 16 at the Fownes Hotel, Worcester. The guide price is £220,000.