A family-owned leisure resort company in Norfolk has set its sights on expansion across East Anglia after acquiring a new site in Essex.

Potters Leisure Limited, which trades as Potters Resorts, has acquired the four-star Five Lakes Resort in Maldon, for an undisclosed sum.

This will be the second resort in the 101-year-old company's portfolio alongside its first site in Hopton-on-Sea in Norfolk.

The site was formerly owned by Abraham Bejerano, proprietor of AB Hotels, who transformed the site after buying it in 1994.

John Potter, owner of Potters Resorts, said: "Five Lakes is a sleeping giant that will become another jewel within Potters Resorts.

"Its location is perfect for many of our existing guests and also opens up our unique short breaks offering to a wider London and South-East market.

"I’m excited to welcome the Five Lakes team into the Potters Resorts family, and in turn, see them all welcoming our happy guests to Potters Five Lakes soon.

"I am very grateful to the Bejerano family for entrusting Potters with the future of this fantastic asset they have created in the beautiful Essex countryside.

"We are going to have a lot of fun expanding Potters Resorts and continuing to offer the best and only all-inclusive resorts in the UK."

The 320-acre site has 194 bedrooms, two golf courses, a huge arena space and a well-regarded spa.

Mr Bejerano, AB Hotels Limited proprietor, added: "Like us, Potters Resorts is a passionate family business committed to delivering customer excellence.

"It will be sad and emotional to let this fabulous property go as our 27 years of ownership, almost to the date, will always evoke happy and special memories for our family, however, we are very confident the hotel, our hard-working and loyal employees and our customers are left in very capable and caring hands and that John, his family and the management team will take the Resort on to bigger and better things.”

Potters Resorts is the UK's first and only all-inclusive holiday resort company.

Its holiday breaks have proven popular post-pandemic, as more people are choosing staycation holidays over travelling abroad.