HOW would you fancy swapping your house for this Irish island retreat?

This remote fisherman’s cottage is owned by John Abbott, who was born in Tyldesley. He is hoping for a house-swap with someone in or around Bolton, so he can be nearer to his 83-year-old mother who lives in Worsley.

Twenty years ago, artist John left Greater Manchester behind for a peaceful existence on tiny Long Island, near Schull, off the West Cork coast.

But after two decades of island idyll, he wants to come home and be nearer mum Lillian, who was born in Farnworth.

As banks are not keen on giving mortgages to potential buyers of his remote house, the 60-year-old artist has turned to a home-swapping website.

The £300,000 two-bedroom cottage, which is half a mile from its nearest island neighbours, comes with panoramic sea views.

The swap also includes 11 acres of land, a vegetable garden, stone outbuilding, Land Rover, trailer and 19ft solid wooden boat.

“I’ve been pretty self-sufficient out here,” said John. “I have a well and a spring for my water and a wind turbine for my energy. There’s a diesel back-up generator, I have solar panels, a Rayburn and I collect water from the roof into a tank.

“Living out here has been incredible but I’m getting older now, my health is going sideways, and my mother needs me to look after her.”

On the third day of his house-hunting expedition, he stumbled on the cottage, named East House at an estate agents.

So John hopped aboard a ferry to Long Island, which measures 2.5 miles by half a mile to see the cottage which is nearly 100 years old.

“I walked over the hill towards the cottage, and the vistas opened up — it was stunning."

Now, there are just 16 people on the island which is the third largest in Roaringwater Bay, after Clear and Sherkin Island.

See John Abbott’s house on EasyHouseExchange.com