EVER fancied owning your own island - complete with four miles of beaches, grazing cattle and five species of penguin?

Now’s your chance, as a Pembrokeshire man and his family are selling off their Falkland island.

Pebble Island, named after its pebble beaches, has been in the Dean family for almost 150 years.

Western Telegraph:

The island came into John Markham Dean’s possession in 1869, when he purchased it - and several other islands - for just £400.

Now, Sam Harris, Dean’s great-great-grandson, has said the family wants to sell Pebble Island, the last of their Falkland islands.

“I will be very sad to see it go, it’s been a huge part of our lives,” Mr Harris said,

“For 149 years it’s been a part of my family.

“Everyone in the family has been there on holiday - the children and grandchildren have all been there.

“It’s all very emotional, my mum took over running the island from my grandfather after he ran it for 40 or 50 years.

“He’s too elderly to go back now, and he understands that now is the time, that it has become too difficult to run.”

The island is now run by Sam’s mum Claire, from the UK, and no member of the family has lived on the island for almost 50 years.

Western Telegraph:

Mr Harris said the 10,622-hectare island could become an ideal business opportunity, as it already features residential buildings, including a lodge which can accommodate self-catering guests.

The island isn’t just known for the penguins, military history buffs will know it as the site of the first land-based action for British troops during the Falklands War.

The family would like the new owner to be someone who had an interest in maintaining the island, who could continue the work they’ve started.

“We are not doing this to make the biggest amount of money we can get,” Mr Harris said.

“The tenant farmers do a great job and we want that to continue. We won’t necessarily go for a bid just because it was a lot of money, we want people who are good for the island.

“We want the assurance that they will continue in the vein that we have started.”

Western Telegraph:

Mr Harris added that several improvements have taken place over the last 4 years, including replacing a wind turbine and adding new solar panels to provide the settlement’s power.

No price has been set by the family, an estate agent was unable to offer a guide due to the island’s unique situation.

More information about Pebble Island can be found on the website pebble-island-farm.com

If you’d like to receive the sales package please email Claire Harris at deanbrothers@hotmail.co.uk