Labour of love in the Lakes...
WHEN he was just nine years old, Malcolm Tillyer told his parents that one day he would live in the Lake District.
But the career policeman spent 30 years fighting crime in London — eventually becoming Borough Commander in Southwark — before he finally got his wish and bought a home in the region.
Finding the picture postcard house wasn’t easy for Malcolm and wife Alison until, three years ago, they spotted a rundown bungalow near Ambleside — close to Lake Windermere.
Little did they know, the property was about to kick-start the biggest challenge of their lives.
The home, a 1930s Ideal Homes Exhibition kit house, was surrounded by beautiful rolling hills — though the building itself concealed some major issues.
“As soon as we saw it we knew that’s where we wanted to live,” says Malcolm, 52, who retired from the Metropolitan Police in 2009. “But the internal walls, ceiling and roof were all made of asbestos and there was a lot of damp.
“It was obvious that it would need to be demolished and rebuilt.”
The house was razed to the ground and work began to build a classic farmhouse-style property.
Malcolm and Alison excitedly pored over the design for their new home. They felt it was important to put in traditional features such as oak beams and latched doors.
But their vision of a relaxing start to retirement turned into a massive headache. “The two-year build was incredibly stressful,” recalls Malcolm, “much more so than anything I did as a police officer.
“We had floods and weeks of snow, we were let down by some of the tradesmen and lots went wrong.
“The house was lovely but by the end of the build I’d actually fallen out of love with it.” The pair decided to get away. They bought a motor home and spent months travelling around Europe.
Their adventures only came to an end when Malcolm began to suffer allergies from living in such a small space with their Springer Spaniel Layla. They headed home, but the break did the trick.
“I realised that, despite seeing so many beautiful places in Europe, there really is nowhere more special than the Lakes.
“I’ve fallen back in love with the house and this is where Ali and are staying,” says Malcolm. The former bobby is now enjoying getting involved with local life.
He became a volunteer and then took the chair of the Brathay Exploration Group Trust, which takes kids on expeditions to help them develop team and leadership skills.
Malcolm, who has two grown- up children from a previous marriage, now smiles proudly when he looks at his house.
And he admits his favourite part is the open-plan downstairs. “It is great for entertaining,” he says. The couple have been busy outside too, making the most of those stunning views.
“We’ve spent a lot of time landscaping the garden,” says Malcolm. “After a few years, it’s nearly finished.” And would he go through it all again? “It’s the most stressful thing I have ever done — but I would not change a thing.”