A REMOVALS firm is rolling out a regular service to Spain, as UK residents continue to flock to its sun-drenched shores. Glasswells Removals, based at Bury St Edmunds, says it is responding to continued high demand from UK residents either relocating or investing in property overseas.

A REMOVALS firm is rolling out a regular service to Spain, as UK residents continue to flock to its sun-drenched shores.

Glasswells Removals, based at Bury St Edmunds, says it is responding to continued high demand from UK residents either relocating or investing in property overseas.

Some head over lock, stock and barrel with young families, others retire out there, some middle-aged and younger people head out to start a new life, while some simply want to furnish a holiday home, explained Lez Hill, who manages the operations from the Glasswells storage and distribution centre, and went over to Spain to set up links with businesses there.

Remarkably, some of their younger customers head over there without a job, confident in the belief that they will pick up something at one of the many British businesses which can now be found along the Spanish Costas, he says.

Up to a million Brits are thought to have rejected the UK's unpredictable weather and set up home in the land of the bullfighters.

The company, which provides a door-to-door service and has been delivering to UK customers for more than 60 years, has partnered up with Spanish distributors, allowing them to use their smaller vehicles, where necessary, to navigate tricky mountain roads or difficult accesses - a common problem for their vehicles. Numbers heading over peaked two or three year ago, but the company feels it is still worthwhile extending their services there, as customers continue to head to the traditional resorts of Benidorm and Marbella, and the increasingly popular Almeria, as well as inland towns and villages.

“Honestly it varies. It's actually slowed down since last year to that destination because I think the property market has slowed down a bit. It comes in peaks and troughs really. Two months ago, we had five or six families to go down and at the moment, I've got two on my board,” said Mr Hill.

“Many of our customers feel reassured to work with a UK company that fully understands their needs as well as organises the essential paperwork.

“With the hassle of the relocation taken care of by us, we feel our customers can relax and just enjoy the entire experience. Monthly Spanish trips are planned. However, we have the flexibility to increase the frequency in the future if necessary.”

Removals costs average around £2,500 but can cost up to about £6,500, depending on the load and the destination. The lorries, which go mainly via Dover - Calais or Portsmouth - Caen or St Malo, can cover 1,400 miles to reach their Spanish destination over a period of four days.

Mr Hill hopes that setting up the Spanish link will help fill the return lorry as some Brits tire of sun, sea and siestas and head back home.

“There are people who are ready to come back as well,” he says. “I'll be honest with you, I like to travel and I would like to live in another country, but I don't think I would like to live there forever.”