WHEN Bill Farnworth went to Hungary to check out fishing locations he got his teeth into a new life and saved thousands of pounds in the process.

During his visit Bill researched the price of major dental work he needed - and when he discovered he could save almost £10,000 he went out and bought a house.

Now Bill, who retrained as a fishing instructor for children with behavioural difficulties, has decided to up sticks and move to Hungary permanently.

He spent a further £20,000 on the garage he bought, transforming it into a luxury three-bedroom, three-bath home set in three-quarters of an acre near the village of Deg - close to a major fishing lake.

Bill had always intended to retire at 55 but somehow found himself still working at 58.

He had not let go of his dream to give up work for a life of fishing and playing the odd round of golf but had not decided when or where this would be.

But a unique combination of circumstances finally gave him the opening he was looking for.

While he was checking out the fishing in Hungary, he decided to fit in a visit to a local dentist as he was keen to find a cheaper quote than the £14,000 he had been given in the UK.

He found a friendly dentist who offered to carry out the complex implants and bridgework he needed for under £5,000, so that particular problem was solved.

Then, with his savings from the proposed dental treatment . . . he went out and bought a house!

He saw an old garage, set in three-quarters of an acre of land, in a forest near to a fishing lake and snapped it up - at the bargain price of £10,000!

In a stroke Bill had solved two problems and, after seeing how cheap the cost of living in Hungary was and how little crime the country had, he decided to move there full-time.

Bill, who is divorced with one daughter, said: "I was out there looking for fishing places where we could take some of the kids we teach and I saw this garage on sale for just £10,000 and I just fell in love with it.

"It is in a heritage area and I applied for planning permission to renovate it. I spent another £20,000 or so on it and now I have a perfect house with three ensuite bedrooms which I have paid for.

"It is in a forest and there are lots of wild animals living there. I see deer, wild boar and rabbits every day.

"There is virtually no crime. I leave my car and house unlocked when I go out.

"I have decided to have a pig sty converted for another £18,000 which will have two more ensuite bedrooms and a workshop and storeroom, which I will rent out cheaply to the local hunters.

"I sold my four bedroom detached home in Cranstal Drive in Westhoughton six months ago and moved in with friends."

Over the years Bill has suffered from dental abscesses and lost a number of his teeth, but the type of advanced dentistry to correct the damage was not on offer under the NHS.

Bill plans to submit to the dentist's drill in Hungary in March, which will involve three separate visits to a state-of-the-art practice on the shores of Lake Balaton.

Bill was so smitten with the beautiful countryside, friendly people and general cleanliness of Hungary that he decided to pack his bags, and toothbrush, and move to his renovated home close to the lake, which is the largest in Europe.

After renovations Bill is now the proud owner of a brand new detached house which cost him just £30,000. The equivalent house over here with the same amount of land would probably cost more than £400,000.

And in Hungary the community charge is just £60 a year compared to more than £1,000 a year in Westhoughton. Gas and electric bills are much cheaper and he takes fresh water from his own well.

"Hungary is an amazing country and a place which has been ignored, "said Bill, whose location puts him within one hour and 40 minutes of the capital Budapest, two hours from Croatia and two-and-a-half hours from Venice.

A brand new connecting motorway is just 15 minutes from his new home and the area's infrastructure, after years of neglect under communism, is gradually being improved as the country begins to benefit from massive EU investment.

The village of Deg, where he will live, has, for most of the year, temperatures which are generally 10 degrees higher than the UK with long, dry, hot summers and cooler, but drier, winters.

"My friends are starting to realise what they are missing out on and also plan to buy summer retreats, and at the same time make some money in the long term," he said.

"My brother Neil, who has a five-year-old daughter, has already decided to buy a holiday home close to Heviz - the largest health spa in Europe where people with ailments such as arthritis and skin complaints, come from all over Europe to swim in the thermal spring-fed lake, which rarely drops below 30 degrees Celsius, even in winter.

"People turn their noses up when you mention Hungary, but this is in ignorance having never visited. Budapest is steeped in history, is rich in culture and has fantastic buildings.

"The country is more advanced than people imagine and can put our country to shame on many fronts. It's great for families as there is no yob culture and, in fact, it reminds me of the UK 25 years ago before it became spoiled."

Bill added: "At times I have to pinch myself realising what I have available - fishing is my hobby and Hungary is noted as being one of Europe's hot spots.

"But I intend to try other outdoor pursuits such as horse-riding and start playing golf again, having previously been a member at Westhoughton Golf Club.

"I have been offered some part-time work by the Hungarian estate agent who sold me the property so I expect to keep busy driving visitors around the countryside, and help sell more properties to other people in the North-west.

"I can afford to pop home once in a while but I do fear I will not want to return home for good as I will be spoiled with the good life in Hungary.

"Ironically I have a greater choice of TV programmes, including all the English football matches, and a faster Internet connection in Hungary, for less money, than I have in the UK."

  • For more information Bill can be contacted at bcfarny1949@aol.com.

Hungary factfile

  • With average monthly wages in Hungary just £350, everything is easily affordable to a westerner relocating.
  • A meal out for two with wine rarely comes to more than £10. Because most visitors to Lake Balaton are Hungarian, prices remain low which benefits British visitors.
  • Surrounded by national parks, Lake Balaton is a bird watchers' paradise because many eastern species reach their westernmost breeding point here. It is not uncommon to see more than 200 different species in a week.
  • Properties in Hungary represent tremendous value - a two-bedroom farmhouse with 12 acres of land is available at less than £15,000.
  • When Hungary joins the Euro in 2011 property prices are expected to rocket, so while the UK property market is in the doldrums the savvy speculator can still make gains by looking further east.