A GRADE II listed farmhouse that served as the unofficial headquarters of Bath Travel and Palmair for several years is for sale at £3m.

Avon Farmhouse near Sopley was the home of the Bath family for decades.

And when semi-retired from the travel empire, chairman Peter Bath continued to oversee things from his office there, even though the main head office was in Albert Road, Bournemouth.

Being just a stone's throw from the airport across the Avon Causeway, it was extremely convenient for Mr Bath to see off and welcome back passengers on all his Palmair flights - something for which he became a legend in the travel industry.

And when the crossing was closed for a new bridge to be built, he commuted by helicopter,

Mr Bath died in 2006 and his widow Liz passed away in August.

The estate includes more than 10,000 square feet of internal space, with various outbuildings and grounds of approximately three acres.

The main house is a substantial, five bedroom family home with uninterrupted views of the River Avon and is complemented by a three-bedroom dairy house and the coach house.

In addition to a storage barn and extensive shelter shed are two further-barns, which both have full planning permission to convert into single story dwellings, providing a potential revenue opportunity or conversion to an external home office, subject to the necessary consents.

Sean Gibson, head of residential sales at Savills in Canford Cliffs, whose team are handling the sale, said: “Escaping to the countryside is something my family and I love to do and Avon Farm House Estate is a place I would love to spend the summer with my family, exploring the grounds and having a splash in the river.

"This beautiful country home would make the perfect family home, as it has been for the last 38 years, and is simply one of a kind. It has to be viewed to fully appreciate its charm, its size, its grounds and the views of the river.”

For more information about Avon Farm House Estate, contact Savills Canford Cliffs on 01202 708888