THE winner of a £325,000 West Dorset 'dream home' has put it up for sale just weeks after he was handed the keys.

Leat Cottage at West Milton was the first prize in a readers' competition run by the Daily Mail in September.

They billed it as their most stunning house prize yet - 'a truly amazing home' for one lucky reader.

But when The News revealed its 'secret' location villagers came forward to warn that it was not quite the idyllic country cottage it was claimed to be.

They pointed out that the Grade II listed thatched cottage was on 'the wrong side of the valley' for the sun and had been prone to flooding from the nearby stream.

The rambling rose and expansive wisteria that adorned its faade in the Mail's promotional photos turned out to be plastic flowers brought in specially for the film shoot.

The interior was dark and less than spacious and the;'fabulous summer house' looked more like a lean-to - while the 'croquet lawn' was devoid of hoops and had a manhole cover in the middle of it.

Locals claimed the problems had led to a big turnover in owners and Bridport estate agent Beth James, of Symonds and Sampson, one of many who had the cottage on their books, described the asking price as 'extortionate'.

This week a spokesman for the Daily Mail confirmed that the winner of the cottage - Michael Bloodworth from Lincolnshire - would not be moving in.

"I think he went and had a look at it and decided he didn't want it," he said.

Now the cottage is back in the hands of Bridport estate agents Humberts, which originally sold it to the newspaper.

Boss Martin Bowen Ashford said the muchmaligned cottage was nowhere near as bad as it had been painted.

He dismissed previous criticism from rival estate agents as sour grapes because his company had sold it and they had not.

"At the time we sold it to the Daily Mail we also had another interested buyer from London," he said.

"It is a niche property that doesn't suit everyone - as a main home it may be a touch too small - but it is ideal as a second home or holiday let. It is a classic chocolate box cottage - not perfect, but then show me a property that is perfect." Mr Bowen Ashford said the Mail had paid close to the £325,000 asking price.

"They had a detailed survey and obviously felt they were paying the right price," he said.

With increases in property prices since then he felt that asking the same for it now was entirely reasonable - although he said they were open to offers.

He said Mr Bloodworth was not moving in simply because he had family commitments and did not want a second home.

He added that the Daily Mail competition had raised the profile of West Dorset and given the area valuable national publicity.

* Further information about the cottage is available from Humberts at their offices in South Street, Bridport, on 01308 422215.