A TWO-bedroom home, fully fitted out with furniture and carpets in an idyllically peaceful spot for £30,000 less than a similar one on a nearby estate?

Welcome to Park Life - something that 250,000 people in the UK think is just wonderful.

Forget caravans and mobile homes, these places may arrive on the back of a lorry and have two little wheels underneath, but inside and out they are more like proper homes than anything else.

Built from a timber frame, the layers of wood are heavily insulated and the outside is given a textured finish, windows are double glazed and the kitchen is fully fitted and kitted out.

There is a high-spec bathroom and an internal layout that can be altered to your specification, and an interior that comes not only fully decorated but fully furnished right down to the light fittings.They are built in factories, transported to the site, anchored to a concrete base and hooked up to the mains services before a brick skirt is built to permanently hide the fact that underneath are two little wheels.

When completed they do look just like a standard bricks and mortar bungalow. But unlike bricks, the homes have a shelf life of around 30 years so the usual property code of old is good does not apply here.

Two things radically changed park home living.

First, the introduction of the double unit where two separately constructed halves are simply bolted together on site which doubled the living space overnight and ditched the caravan image for good.

The second was a change in the law, which gave park homeowners much clearer rights. They now have security of tenure, can sell their home whenever they want and can give it or bequeath it to their relatives. The north west has 78 park home sites, the vast majority in Lancashire, many tucked away in beautiful countryside on sites little know outside the locality.

Unlike the big caravan parks with their clubhouses and restaurants and kids' clubs, the only amenities they offer are a mains connection to water and electricity and immaculate upkeep of the communal areas.

And that is just how the residents like it.Irene and Graham Jenks sold a three-bedroom bungalow in Romiley and moved to Castle Hill in Woodley, just outside Stockport, 18 months ago, paying £48,000 for their home on a large corner plot where all they can see from their windows are trees and green fields.

Irene said: "People think they will be cramped, but all the furniture we had in our other bungalow fitted in here. No problem!

"It is just like living on a small private estate with none of the hassles."

They believe their move has made perfect financial sense. Not only did selling their bungalow give them cash in the bank to live on after Graham retired, but the value of the park home has also increased, a similar one on a smaller plot selling in days for £67,000 last month.

The site fee at Castle Hill is just under £75 a month - an amount that appears to be the going rate in the north west for homes on smallish sites with no amenities such as a shop or a club house or a golf course outside the back door."We don't need anything," said Ron Talbot, 67, who lives across the way from the Jenks. "You've got your home and fine neighbours and a beautiful setting and the shops near enough. I wouldn't go in a club even if there is one."

He bought his home 21 years ago after seeing an ad in the Manchester Evening News. He said: "We lived in a flat in Sale but my wife wanted a bungalow. I got sick and fed up looking at tiny rabbit hutches they wanted £30,000 for. In the end I used to wait outside in the car while my wife went in.

"When I read they were starting this site, we came down, looked at the show home they had, and signed up that afternoon for one like it which cost £19,500 and was much bigger than many of the bungalows we had seen.

"We moved in and it meant I got my weekends back!"

When Ron's wife died last year, the close-knit nature of the community helped him cope with his loss. He said: "Whenever I feel low I can just go across for a chat. It means a lot and I have absolutely loved living here. I will not leave."

Castle Hill is owned by farmer Eddie Ogden, who decided to diversify 21 years ago. He said: "I decided to try houses instead of cows and the council agreed to license the site.

"It was very different in the beginning. The twin units changed people's view of park homes because now they offer everything a bungalow has."

Olive Pilkington counts herself as one of the lucky ones. She has lived at Hall Park in Haslingden for 20 years, the last 16 acting as warden for the site, and has a queue of people waiting to buy on to the site.

Hall Park is tucked away amid woodland between dual carriageway and hillside, and those who pass by the road entrance probably don't even register it is there.

Olive said: "That's the beauty of it. We are like our own little isolated community here, yet only 10 minutes from the shops.

"It is only over-55s here and there is peace and quiet and no hassle. And people look after their homes."

"I am still in the one we had 25 years ago. I have had new windows put in, with double-glazing, but that's all; same kitchen, same bathroom. We paid £8,000 but would get about £30,000 now.

"Folks who think they are worth nothing after a few years are very wrong.

"And there's not just a waiting list for sites. There's a waiting list for new homes. I know seven people waiting for double units - and we are talking about £70,000 - and they have been told it will be 12 months at least. So there is obviously the demand."

Which means business is good for Nigel Derrick, owner of one of the largest park homes manufacturers, Stateley-Albion Ltd, based in South Wales. Nigel is also chairman of the National Park Homes Show, gearing up to show off the best the industry has to offer next month.

He said: "Things are booming at the moment with sales up 20 per cent on last year. It's a knock-on from the housing boom.

"Park Homes are nothing like they used to be. They have improved in quality and style over the last 10 years out of all recognition.

"And they have a 10-year warranty like the NHBC guarantee and they appreciate in value just like houses."

Claire Walters is manager at Edward Mellor estate agents in Woodley. She said: "A bungalow in this area would cost £100,000 but a park home at Castle Hill is around £70,000."

The National Park Homes and Leisure Show is at the NEC from July 2 to 6 . Tweet