FOR the price of a detached house in Fulwood you could buy your very own nuclear bunker.

That's right, an underground bunker in Goosnargh, just north of Preston, has gone up for sale for £250,000.

The vendors say the former Ministry of Defence site, which was decommissioned in 1992 after the end of the Cold War, presents a unique purchasing opportunity.

Well, it's certainly unique. I had a look around, and could see some real potential.

If I had a spare £250,000 I might consider buying it: I could just see hundreds of ravers partying in the huge former operations room.

Or how about a paintball arena? That's a spooky thought, being chased by thrill-seeking paint-gun yielding fun soldiers around the bunker's 50 rooms.

But back to reality.

The chartered surveyors handling the sale, JH Walter, a Lincoln-based firm, believe it will be used for something a bit more sedate, such as document storage or an internet company.

"Former nuclear bunkers have been used for all sorts of purposes," said Rob Ward, in charge of the sale.

"They have serious security and a controlled environment so they are very attractive for secure storage, whether data or artefacts."

The site, in Langley Lane, was refurbished in 1962 to become one of two national headquarters of the United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation, which would have monitored Britain in the case of a nuclear attack. The 15,000 sq ft, two floor building, which is 20ft underground, is protected by three metre thick concrete walls re-enforced with Tungsten bars.

When in use, it could have supported 150 key personnel for three months in the case of a nuclear attack.

"We are expecting there to be a lot of interest in the bunker, in the past bunkers have attracted a lot of interest," said Mr Ward.

His company was in charge of the sale of 15 smaller bunkers in Lincolnshire and Norfolk, last year.

"The vendor just wanted rid of them and would have taken £500 a piece, we sold them on internet auction site eBay for £8,000 to £25,000 each, it was just incredible," he added.