A DEDICATED husband has found a unique way to prove his love for his wife – by camping to get a beach hut at a popular Christchurch beauty spot.

Keith Duell, 68, from Burley, has nabbed first place in the annual beach hut queue at Avon Beach in Mudeford to ensure his family get their hands on a full summer season beach hut at the much-loved tourist destination.

The beach huts aren’t available to book until Monday morning, but the couple wanted to ensure they were first in line.

Keith said: “My wife of 43 years hasn’t been very well so doing this is payback time for her for putting up with me for so long.

“I fish in the bay and she comes and sits with me. This way if the weather is awful, she can sit in the beach hut.

“Our grandchildren will love it.”

Keith, who arrived on Wednesday, said the couple came down to Avon Beach on New Year’s Day and looked at the notice and saw that there was only one seasonal beach hut on offer.

His wife Christine said: “We didn’t know when to start queuing and wondered whether to leave it until the weekend, in the end I told him to come down.

“We just looked at each other and I said we’ve got to do it.”

Keith said his first night camping out in his fishing shelter was good and said the nature he saw was amazing.

“The foxes were along the beach and there was a seal out there this morning”, he said.

“Everyone has been so hospitable to us, really thoughtful.

“Christine has been bringing me homemade soup and I’ve had fish and chips. I think she feels guilty.

“I don’t expect to be alone for long now. I think more people will come down at the weekend.

“This whole area is stunning. The whole set-up down here is wonderful and a credit to the staff.”

Full seasonal lets are popular because once families have secured them the hut is theirs until they choose to give it up.

There are a number of six-week lets available as well as weekly huts.