A NEW Forest holiday firm has invested £1 million in improving its facilities during the winter.

Shorefield Holidays – which owns six parks across Hampshire and Dorset and employs more than 250 full time staff – has been acquiring new holiday homes to meet an increased demand for UK holidays in the wake of Brexit and weakening pound.

The new holiday homes – the majority of which will be situated at Shorefield Country Park at Milford-on-Sea and Oakdene Forest Park near Ringwood – will be ready to use when the parks re-open ready for February half-term.

There will also be new owner plots at Merley Court Holiday Park, near Wimborne, where Shorefield Holidays is also upgrading the on-site facilities for owners and self-catering guests. The new facilities will include a spa treatment room, a sauna, hot tub and state-of-the-art gym, all set to open at Easter.

Brand new holiday homes will also feature at Swanage Coastal Park opening on March 1.

Entertainment facilities have been upgraded and new children's play built at Shorefield Country Park and Oakdene Forest.

Shorefield's director, Lesley Lawrence, said: “During the banking crash many holiday parks stopped or cut-back on investing but Shorefield took a conscious decision to carry on. It’s paid off over the years and can be seen in our first-rate facilities today.

“Our investment for the 2017 season means that none of our caravan holiday homes will be more than three years old,” she said.

The firm, which celebrates its 60th anniversary next year, has invested £5 million in its parks over the last five years.