Oak beamed ceilings and an inglenook fireplace... Through the keyhole of Kerry Katona's country pile

By Georgina Littlejohn

Rustic interiors: Kerry Katona's new seven bedroom home, has four bathrooms, vaulted living space
with mezzanine level balcony and a large garden


It's definitely a case of out with the old and in with the new for Kerry Katona at the moment.

Having ditched the sponging husband and signed with a new management company, the reality TV star has decided to up sticks and move house.

And this is the stunning new mansion in picturesque Surrey that she and her four children will soon be relocating to, 200 miles away from her current home in Cheshire.

Katona is renting the seven-bedroom, four-bathroom, barn conversion overlooking a picturesque duck pond for £3,500-a-month.


Lots of light: The master bedroom sports high ceilings and oak beams


Country pile: Katona's home is idyllically situated opposite a Duck Pond, which will amuse her children

Located in a secluded area of Surrey, the property is only a mile from the M25, meaning it will be easy for Katona to get into London to fulfil her media engagements.

The property boasts four en-suite bedrooms, double garage, large living room and a reading room for her daughter to do their homework in.

As she prepares to sell her £1million five-bedroom home in Wilmslow, Katona may find her money won't stretch as far in the expensive southern housing market, with or without a recession.

Yesterday the 29-year-old was snapped having a stroll round sunny Brighton with her two eldest daughters, Molly, eight, and seven-year-old Lilly-Sue


Time to see the new home: Reality television star Kerry arrives to show two daughters Molly and Lilly-Sue their new Surrey home


They are currently staying at a hotel in the town while they wait for their new home to be furnished with their belongings, which are being moved down from Wilmslow.

They were snapped wandering round the shops, stopping at a furniture store, no doubt to have a look for new items for the Surrey pile.

Kerry decided to move to the south coast after breaking up with husband Mark Croft, to whom she has been married to for three years and has two children with - daughter Heidi, three and two-year-old son Maxwell.


Ready for your new life? Katona outside her new home today


She is also nearer to her new PR company Can Associates, who are based in Horsham, West Sussex and also to look after her friend, pop star Peter Andre, who lives in Hove.

Last night, she took time out from her busy schedule of rearranging her life to party with some friends in London, and looked every inch the glamour puss in a £180 Karen Millen dress.

On Monday, removal men were spotted loading up a truck ahead of the move with Kerry's belongings and some of Croft's items too.


Moving on up: Kerry and her daughters are making a new start following her split from ex-husband Mark Croft


A lot of things - particularly Mark's - are being put in storage, including a pool table and possibly a mirror etched with the word 'Crofty's' on the front.

There were also poignant reminders of her once sky-high popularity, including the T-shirt Kerry wore on I'm A Celebrity... was carried out in a frame, labelled 'Queen Of The Jungle'.

The former pop star is planning to reinvent herself after 'dark days' of drug abuse and erratic public behaviour.

But she won't have seen the last of Croft who said he plans to fight 'tooth and nail' for custody of their two children.

Recently, the ex-cabbie, 38, admitted that he had squandered away her fortune but said he had no regrets.


Nice views: A guest bedroom features a view of the surrounding countryside

Croft, who who is sleeping at friends' houses and trying to make money from a new slot machine business, admitted: 'Yes. I've spent Kerry's millions - and I don't miss a penny of it, or feel any regret about how our marriage failed.

'I'm no saint. I've done drugs, booze, wasted her fortune, you name it. All I want now is to see my kids. Without them, my life isn't worth living.

'I'm skint, which is entirely my own fault. But I'll fight Kerry tooth and nail over the only thing that matters to me now. God knows where I'll find the money but, mark my words, I will.'

Croft also told The People newspaper that Kerry's move down south would be a disaster, both for her and their children.

He said: 'I now face a four-hour drive each way every other weekend, down to some poncey part of Sussex (sic), where Kerry and her new advisers have decided she can reinvent herself


Time out: Kerry took a break from sorting out her new life as she arrived for a party in London last night


source: dailymail