A COUPLE have increased the chances of selling their house – thanks to a television show.

Celebrity property expert Phil Spencer has praised Robert and Angela Morrison for the renovations made at their Shrivenham home and said it stands a good chance of being sold.

The couple, who now live in Sussex, were approached by production company Raise the Roof for its programme Phil Spencer: Secret Agent because of the struggles they had faced in selling it after six years on the market.

Phil visited their detached, four-bedroom property in Cox’s Road at the beginning of March and delivered a list of improvements they should make.

With just a week to act on his recommendations it was a busy time for the Morrisons, but Phil, who made his name on Location, Location, Location, was impressed with what he saw when he returned to the house yesterday.

“They have done a fantastic job. I’m really, really happy,” he said.

“They have worked extremely hard and it’s lovely for me to come back and see people have properly listened to my advice.

“They were short on time and money, but they have virtually pulled off everything.

“None of what I advised was an easy task. There were some lengthy jobs on there.

“I left them with quite a big list of things to do, like updating the bathroom, which is quite a major operation.

“Robert wasn’t too keen on painting the cupboard doors initially, but they did as advised and got that done too.”

Robert, 58, was headhunted for a technical directorship in Sussex six years ago, when the couple decided to put their house up for sale.

In the years which followed, their daughter finished university and returned home for a time before their son was made redundant 18 months ago and moved home.

The couple could never work out why their house attracted such little interest, but when their children returned home the property came off the market for short periods.

Asked what he thought of the failure to sell, Phil said: “It was presentation. They had given up because they weren’t here. Their son was the only one living here – with them in Sussex.

“The furniture they didn’t want was left here. Anything they didn’t want was just stuffed in here.

“The living room looked like part of a gym, there were also abandoned musical instruments sitting around the place.”

Yesterday was the public’s chance to view the property and consider making a bid.

Unable to go into too much detail and spoil the show, which will air later this year, Phil did say the signs of a sale were promising.

“We are very encouraged. We have had a very positive day in terms of turnout and feedback,” he said.