A WATERSIDE residence with its very own regular water feature has gone up for sale near York.

Naburn Lock House is a fixer-upper with a prime location – right next to Naburn Lock. Unfortunately, that means the house is liable to flood when the canal level rises, as it has done seven times in the last 12 years.

Current tenant Bob Gaskell has lived in the house for almost 30 years, and, undeterred by the flooding, is now in the process of leaving the house to live in a riverboat.

He was on hand to meet prospective buyers at an open house event yesterday.

He said: “Since I was 12 years old I’ve always wanted to live on the water; it’s taken me that long to get here.I’ve enjoyed the people, the weather and the views. The peace and quiet and the security have been nice. I like it when it floods, it’s the nearest I will get to being in a castle surrounded by water.”

John Waterhouse, auctioneer, said he was expecting a number of offers. He said: “There’s been quite good interest and it’s down to between £70,000 and £75,000 at auction and there has been a lot of interest from investors and developers hoping to use it as a holiday cottage.”

Eddie Ruddock, a builder and developer from Malton, toured the house yesterday, and said there was real potential in the property.

He said: “I think I can stop the water coming in but getting people across to the property in high water will be the problem. I’ve got a few ideas, though.”

Asked for any advice for potential owners, Mr Gaskell said: “Buy a dinghy, a life jacket, and don’t bother with insurance, because you won’t get it. It needs to be someone who is prepared to rough it, who doesn’t want a fancy life, and is happy looking out and seeing nothing but water, cooking at shoulder level and wearing waders.”

The house goes to auction on February 20, and more information is available at hunterspropertyauctions.co.uk