Escape to the Country made a delightful return to our screens with a fresh episode on Tuesday (29 April). The episode featured Sonali Shah guiding a couple through the scenic landscapes of North Yorkshire in search of their dream home.

Marcus and Nicola, looking to shift from Halifax to the countryside after their two eldest children left home, had a generous budget of £850,000 for their ideal abode.

Their wishlist included three bedrooms, an office space, a minimum of half an acre of land, and the possibility of entering the holiday let market.

Sonali had meticulously selected three potential dwellings for Nicola and Marcus, who planned to move with their 10-year-old son, Mason.

The first option was a detached contemporary residence in Middleton Tyas, priced at £810,000. This property boasted four bedrooms, three reception areas, half an acre of land, and the capacity for a holiday let enterprise.

Despite being initially impressed by its "grand" attributes, Nicola and Marcus felt overwhelmed, with Nicola confessing her "heart sank" at the thought of managing the extensive rooms and maintenance required, reports YorkshireLive.

They then explored an 18th-century farmhouse situated in Seamer, complete with an already thriving B&B operation in the form of a two-bedroom holiday cottage. Priced at £700,000, this coastal proximity home had six acres.

This second property met many of Nicola and Marcus's criteria, sparking their imagination for renovations and business prospects.

The final property showcased to the hopeful buyers was a £795,000 16th-century gem in Harwood Dale. It had a two-bedroom main residence and two one-bedroom holiday lets amid 10 acres of idyllic countryside.

Sonali checked in with Marcus and Nicola for updates on their property hunt and their views on the homes she had selected for them.

Nicola expressed having second thoughts about the solitude of a remote location, concerned about their son: "I think I've learned that it's not in the Moors I need, it's near to the Moors. I don't want Mason to be isolated, I think I'm happy with that, but I just don't want to take his friendship groups away," she confessed.

After some reflection, the couple disqualified properties one and three, focusing solely on the second option that ticked their boxes.

Although a second viewing was on the cards, as Sonali disclosed at the episode's conclusion, Marcus and Nicola eventually discovered their perfect four-bedroom domicile beyond the reaches of Escape to the Country.

Escape to the Country airs on weekdays on BBC One at 3pm