A BRIGHT and modern family home set in 2.74 acres has come up for sale in the scenic Lune Valley.

The asking price for Sockburn House, in picturesque Melling, is £650,000 with Armistead Barnett.

The agents describe this attractive, five-bedroom bungalow as "the countryside ideal".

Its plot size and location offer buyers ample opportunity for taking up hobby farming or equestrian pursuits.

Inside, the light and airy accommodation is said to allow "plenty of space for the perfect work-life balance", with ample room to run your own business from home and store all your wares.

Sockburn House has been in the same family since the 1970s and has seen lots of changes over the years.

It now offers a spacious kitchen diner with views over the back gardens and countryside beyond, plus a separate living room, a dining room and a snug, to give a good balance of formal and informal living space.

The decor is fresh, crisp and bright, making it the perfect blank canvas for buyers.

The agents, Armitstead Barnett, say the ground floor is "particularly family-friendly" with its two bedrooms, including an en-suite.

There are three further bedrooms on the first floor, again including an en-suite, and a shower room.

Outside, the generous garden plot is made up of lawns, hard landscaping and a parking area, extending into a paddock together with a useful outbuilding or workshop.

A toilet block and area of hardstanding would be ideal for stables, say the agents, subject to the necessary planning permission.

All in all, the grounds stretch to 2.74 acres.

The village of Melling is in the beautiful Lune Valley, close to the Cumbrian and Lancashire borders.

The A683 road runs through the centre, giving good links to the M6 motorway for commuters, despite the rural surroundings.

Sockburn House is also just 1.4 miles away from Wennington railway station, which connects to the West Coast Main Line, and just over four miles from Bentham railway station.

Melling is a small country parish with a strong sense of community thanks to its tiny Church of England primary school, historic Grade I-listed church of St Wilfrid's - known as "the cathedral of the Lune Valley" - and the much-loved village hall, where social activities and gatherings take place all year round.

Melling is also close to the bustling market town of Kirkby Lonsdale with its renowned independent shops and places to eat and drink, and just a short drive from the Lake District and Kendal.

The area offers a good selection of high-quality schools.

Neighbouring villages boast an enviable selection of pubs and useful shops.

Sockburn House has mains water and electricity, LPG gas and a septic tank.

www.abarnett; tel 01539-751993.