A PIONEERING Poole couple are heading full sail ahead into the eco-friendly future.

Great-grandparents John and Anne Luck can now step out of the door of their Haymoor Road home and look up at their very own wind turbine.

They were the first in the borough to receive planning permission for their own windmill and the £1,498 B&Q Windsave machine is now up and running.

Perched at the top of a hill their home is perfectly placed to take advantage of the wind and the three blades began their 1.75 metre sweep as soon as it was turned on.

"We are thrilled to pieces," said Mr Luck, 72. "We have had to wait so long, we ordered it three months ago and we are up and running at last."

A faint hum as the turbine generates enough power to get into the system is all that can be heard inside, while from outside the blades whistle as they turn in the wind.

It will generate one kilowatt of electricity at any one time and if they have an input meter they will be able to charge the electricity company as it feeds into the national grid.

A condition of planning permission is that it is turned off between 11pm and 7am and the couple say it could take about five years to recoup the cost.

Poole wind turbine pioneers they may be but this is the latest in a long line of eco-friendly measures for the couple.

"We have a water meter installed, compost bin and water butt, we have organic vegetables delivered, cavity wall insulation, double glazing and loft insulation and we replace our bulbs with low energy bulbs when they go," said Mrs Luck, 73.

She said she had always admired the ability of previous generations to harness wind and water power. "I think it is right we should use it again," she added.