'Why Skegness is just paradise to us'

For decades, many Midlands families have made the circuitous trip to their nearest section of coastline, with a popular choice being the bustling - and so bracing - resort of Skegness and its surrounding coastline. The BBC talked to holidaymakers who regularly take the break.

Kerry Edwards, a primary school teacher from Nottingham, said it was the first time she and her two children - aged one and three - had visited Skegness.

"It's the closest beach to us so I thought we would give it a whirl," she said.

"I think it's just really good for families. There's so much stuff to keep them occupied at this age - the donkeys, the sand.

"We just arrived today and it's their first time on holiday so I am hoping to explore the sand and go swimming.

"It's beautiful - the weather is perfect. We hope it stays like this."

Denise Greaves, 61, from Chesterfield, said: "I have been coming here since I was four.

"I have always felt my memories were here and I love it.

"I have brought my daughter and my granddaughter. We stay in caravans, just like my mum and dad used to do when I was younger."

She said the family usually stayed at Ingoldmells and had been to the resort in all weathers.

"We have even been here in snow," she said.

"But we love it. We love all the rides on Fantasy Island."

Gregg Harrison and his partner Caroline Milligan, from Derby, have enjoyed two previous stays at Lakeside, a caravan site at North Somercotes.

Gregg works night shifts at a delivery company and said he really looks forward to the break.

"It's just so relaxed," he said.

"Everyone is dead friendly.

"We really enjoy it, we come with the dogs. It's great."

While some holidaymakers may not be fans of the meandering roads that lead to the east coast, Gregg said it was "dead easy to get here".

"It's a couple of hours' drive," he said.

"We get here, we get the van set up and then it's just drinks out and just chill.

That's all we're here for.

"It's just great. Love it. Absolutely love it."

Jayne and Roy Musgrove, from Burton-upon-Trent in Staffordshire, bought a log cabin at North Somercotes 18 years ago so their children and grandchildren could come and stay with them.

The couple said they tended to stay for six weeks in the summer and any other time they could.

They started travelling to Lincolnshire in a touring caravan, then a static one, before finally investing in a cabin.

Roy, a retired police officer, said he spent as much time as he could on the site.

"We like it that much. It's just paradise to us, it really is," he said.

"We both used to say when we got here, [the stress] just went.

"And for as long as we're here, we're stress free.

"Most people now days have got very stressful jobs and [this] is a stress release."

Jayne added the couple had brought their children since they were little.

"They've now got children of their own, so the grandchildren come now too. They absolutely love it," she said.

"It's your home from home.

"Everything is here that you need. You haven't got the stress of packing and unpacking.

"So you come here, go straight through the gates and relax."

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