Luke Thomas transformed a dark, dilapidated and unloved cottage in Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire, into a light-filled home with the help of a £65,000 loan – and a lot of creative endeavour.

Born and raised in the town, in south-west Wales, Luke had walked past the cottage many times. By the time it came up for sale in May 2018, he had lived outside Wales for 11 years and was working as an architectural designer for a practice in Dulwich, south-east London.

The house, which had been owned by the town’s doctor, stands in the shadow of a castle that dates from the Norman times. By the time it went on the market, it had lain empty for five years. And despite the fact that almost all the internal structure had caved in, Mr Thomas saw it had potential.

“Its location was a big draw, as it’s the closest building to the castle, and the fact that it had a huge garden was another attraction. I saw it as a stepping stone to take me back home,” said Mr Thomas.

While the original asking price was £114,000, he negotiated it down to £98,000 to reflect the uninhabitable condition of the building. “It was in such a state that no high street bank or lender would give me a mortgage,” he added.