HOLIDAY giant Butlins is to offer luxury timeshare apartments at its Minehead resort.

Butlins bosses expect the new scheme, called BlueSkies, to result in a stampede from the company's loyal guests, anxious to be among the first to own a piece of Butlins' for themselves.

Work on the £4.5million develop ment starts this month and the first 24 apartments are expected to be com pleted by March next year.

For around £6,000, owners will get the most stylish accommodation ever offered at Butlins.

A spokesman said: "The spacious modern holiday apartments will be set slightly apart from the main resort, full of contemporary design features, posi tioned right on the edge of the sea and close to the stunning scenery of Exmoor."

BlueSkies timesharers will get access to Butlins' range of facilities and live entertainment, and will have their own concierge service and dedicated sup port team, along with free wireless internet access and video film rental.

They could even swap Minehead for Miami as a result of a deal between Butlins and RCI, the world's largest timeshare exchange organisation, enabling guests to choose from thou sands of other luxury timeshare devel opments all over the world.

Mike Crowther, leading the BlueSkies development for Butlins, said: "Second homes and holiday apartments are an unattainable dream for many people as they can be expen sive to buy, maintain and manage.

Butlins is one of the UK's most popular and best-trusted holiday brands.

"By introducing BlueSkies in our 70th anniversary year, we're aiming to create a development that is luxurious, flexible, great value and guarantees a first-rate family holiday."

A second phase of the development, planned for 2007, will include a BlueSkies health and fitness suite.