2012 Olympics torch carrier swaps nights out in Manchester for County Durham after upsizing to new Bellway home in Wingate

The 57-year-old has left Manchester and bought a new three-bedroom Carver home at Bellway’s Wellfield Rise development in the village of Wingate.

Colin, who is head of volunteer experience for a national charity, decided to move after realising that he was all partied out and wanted to live a quieter life.

“I got to the point where I took stock of my life and realised that I had outgrown the big nights out in the city and hankered for chilled out evenings just chatting with pals in a village pub,” he said.

“A lot of my friends had already moved away from Manchester, so there was nothing holding me to the place. It was my time to make the move.”

Colin was living in a two-bed terraced home on the outskirts of Manchester, when he made the decision to upsize to a three-bedroom detached house.

“Some of my pals had bought new homes in the Durham area and I could not believe how affordable the property was when you compared it to the prices in Manchester,” he said.

“They encouraged me to consider moving over there too and I must say I was sold on the idea.

“I hit the internet and came across Bellway’s Wellfield Rise development in Wingate.

"I really liked the look of it and was very interested in a Carver plot but they did not have a showhome in that style at a site near Manchester.

"So, I drove over to have a look at the location of the development and also visited the Carver showhome at Bellway’s nearby Hartwell Park development and fell in love with it.

“The house was everything I ever wanted. I spoke to Jen and Louise in the sales office and reserved the Carver at Wellfield Rise.

"They helped me through the process and were there for me every step of the way. They, and the site team, were superb from start to finish.”

Colin said he sold his home in Manchester for £240,000 and bought the new house at Wellfield Rise for £225,000.

He moved into his Bellway home in September 2023.

“I have kept the same mortgage deal but was able to access the £15,000 difference which I used to buy new furniture and turf the back garden,” he said.

“I am absolutely over the moon because I have swapped my two-bedroom terraced home in an urban environment for a spacious and light brand-new house in the countryside.

“Having three bedrooms is brilliant. I work from home so use one of the bedrooms as a designated workspace instead of the confused spare room/guest room and work zone set up at the old house.

"Having my own bedroom with an en suite is a first for me and makes it feel like I am staying in a hotel. It’s also lovely to have a dedicated spare room for when anyone wants to stay over.

“This development is ideally located for me because I have three friends who live about six miles away in Coxhoe and others who are in Stanley, which is about a half-an-hour drive away.

"It’s great to be so close and to be able to really reconnect. Me and my pals used to go hiking in the Lake District when we lived in Manchester but now I am over here we are going to explore the North York Moors and Northumberland together.”

Colin is delighted that he now has the room to display his pride and joy – the Olympic torch he carried through the streets of Bolton in the lead up to the 2012 Olympics in London.

“I was chosen in recognition of my commitment to the charity sector and my work with the LGBTQ community,” he said.

“At the old house I didn’t really have room to show the torch off, so it was sort of shut away in the back, but here I have loads of space and it takes pride of place in the lounge.

“I am incredibly proud of having been chosen for such an honour and love explaining to people what I did on the day. All of my friends and family know the story but if new people come to the house, it’s a real conversation starter. It’s fun.”

There’s currently a choice of three and four-bedroomed homes available to reserve at Wellfield Rise, with prices starting at £179,995 and £264,995 respectively.