Models expose the delights of Cornwall

The beach at Carlyon Bay has been recreated in London department store Selfridges, complete with lots of sand.

And the flats have been selling fast - even though none of them exists yet.

Developers, Ampersand, have planning permission for them and they plan to start on-site drilling works next week.

So far 88 flats have been sold.

The resort as it will look

Buyer Kevin Paget said: "You have a big passing trade here, so it probably works quite well."

The properties are marketed as holiday homes, and it was on that basis that they got planning permission.

The estate agent in charge, Sam Weller, says he hopes the fact that they are going to be holiday homes will help ease pressure on the rest of Cornwall's available housing stock.

He said: "I'm hoping very much that people will buy their holiday home here and not in the towns and villages and coastal resorts here in Cornwall.

"Therefore those properties that would have otherwise gone to holiday homes will be available to local people."

The long-drawn-out saga of getting the Carlyon Bay development up and running has caused controversy locally.

Planning permission for some limited aspects of the scheme has not yet been granted and the government could order a public inquiry into these.

The cheapest apartments, at �157,000, have already been snapped up.

The remainder are priced at between �300,000 and �815,000.