IT'S their first home sweet home but they are also the first settlers in Eastleigh's new 21st-century community.

Andy Collins, 28, and Nicola Fraser, 24, celebrated Christmas by becoming the first residents to move on to the giant state of the art estate at the former Pirelli General factory site off Leigh Road.

The couple's smart one-bedroom flat, just a stone's throw from the town centre, is among more than 600 homes on the huge brownfield development.

Andy was so determined to become one of the first settlers that he was at the front of the queue when the developers released the first batch of properties.

He said: "The gates were due to be opened at 11 am but I made sure that I got there first by sitting in my car from 7 am.

"They gave out tickets to those who were waiting and I got ticket number one."

Andy works as a warehouse operative at Tesco's distribution depot at Nursling.

For Nicola, going to work means just popping down the road to a florist in High Street.

And Andy, who grew up at nearby Bishopstoke, said: "We always wanted to live in Eastleigh. It is a great area to live in because everything is on the doorstep and you can walk to the shops."

First-time buyers Andy and Nicola were gazumped three times when they tried buying a home in other parts of the borough.

But that pain has now been soothed away by the fact that the value of their new home has rocketed since they bought it in August.

They paid £97,950 and now they say it is worth about £130,000.

In a green move the developers are hoping that the car will take a back seat in Eastleigh's 21st-century community.

As a house-warming present they are giving households a free bicycle.

So Andy and Nicola will be able to get to know their new environment by taking a gentle spin around the block.

HOME SWEET HOME: Nicola Fraser and Andrew Collins in their new flat. Echo picture by Malcolm Nethersole. Order no: h7krdol4.