Chris Hill A tourism business which celebrated its first anniversary on Valentine's Day has proved the nation's love affair with north Norfolk holidays is still going strong.

Chris Hill

A tourism business which celebrated its first anniversary on Valentine's Day has proved the nation's love affair with north Norfolk holidays is still going strong.

Holiday cottage letting firm Norfolk Hideaways, based in Burnham Deepdale, was launched on February 14 last year.

It is the idea of businesswomen Hetti Simpson and Annelli Taylor, who wanted to capitalise on demand for holiday accommodation by encouraging people to rent out their own homes to tourists.

The firm was opened with just six houses on offer, but the pair have just signed up their 106th property in time for their birthday celebrations.

The firm also provides employment for five people in the company's office at Dalegate Market, 15 housekeepers and two maintenance workers.

Miss Taylor said she hoped to encourage more property-owners to sign up and make money out of their house rather than see it sitting idle.

“We are experiencing such a high demand for our houses for the 2010 season that we are really keen to add more properties to our portfolio,” she said.

Norfolk Hideaways has also taken nearly 900 holiday bookings in its first year and generated more than �800,000 in rental income for its homeowners.