Ryan Swailes is living the dream, exactly where he has always wanted to be and in a house that he and wife Amy have lavished love and money on, thinking they would never move.

But a new job has changed Ryan's thinking and now he and Amy, with their sons Dylan, six, and three-year-old Leo, are upsizing to a detached house which they anticipate will be their new forever home.

The property they're selling is a four-bedroom three-storey town house in Carlisle's Lowry Hill area and was the former show home for the development.

"I grew up in Lowry Hill and the dream was, as a grown-up with my own family, to come back," said Ryan. "I wanted my kids to have the chance of growing up here like I did.

"Lowry Hill is a large estate with Kingmoor School right in the centre - Dylan is a pupil there and Leo will be joining him.

"The estate has access to the motorway and the supermarkets are handy too. We love Lowry Hill because it’s got Kingmoor Nature Reserve and everything is just open and quiet. The nature reserve has loads of birdlife and is great for walks and for the children to play out.

"We moved in about six months or so before Leo was born. This is our first owned house. We rented for a short time while we tried to get on the property ladder but this is the first house we own and we absolutely love it – we’re only moving because our circumstances have changed.

"I’ve got a new job and we’re upsizing to a detached house, still in Lowry Hill. The next one will be our final home, we hope, our dream home and we’re planning to extend it."

Ryan is a train signaller on the Carlisle to Settle line, based in a signal box at Culgaith and responsible for the movement and safety of trains on the stretch of track from Culgaith to Carlisle. Amy works in sales.

Their house in Lowry Gardens is beautifully presented. On the ground floor are a double bedroom with fitted storage and a shower room. That has been very useful as a self-contained space for Amy's family when they visit from Devon. There's also a utility area here.

The dining kitchen on the first floor has modern units, integrated appliances and a tiled floor while the spacious lounge has a laminate floor and two windows to the front of the house."

Ryan said: "We've done a great deal to the house since moving in. Three to four months ago we painted and decorated throughout and put new carpets in at the same time - nice soft thick new carpets which I’m going to miss!

"We’ve done a lot of work on the garden, taking out huge bushes and putting in little bushes, flowers and making a lawn from seed where the boys play football. We made it a family garden. We spent the money because we thought we’d be here long term."

The family all sleep on the top floor where the boys have their own rooms while Ryan and Amy the en-suite master bedroom.

He said: "My favourite room is the living room – it’s big, there’s so much space for the kids and we use it as a family room. They bring all their toys in there and once they’re in bed we clear up and it’s nice and cosy in front of the TV.

"We love the kitchen, we love the living room, to be honest we love all of it and will be sad to go – it’s a hard decision to go but it’s the next chapter of our life and we think it will be the final chapter.

"You never know what’s going to happen but that’s the idea. We’re excited to get on with the new house."

Lowry Gardens, Carlisle, is on the market at £175,000 from Vicinity Homes, tel. 01228 599011.