THE owners of Green Island have spoken of their shock and heartbreak at watching the destruction of their dream home.

Forty-five firefighters were ferried to the island in Poole’s Harbour to deal with the blaze, which broke out yesterday.

Millionaire Edward Iliffe bought the island six years ago and fought a lengthy battle with Purbeck planners before being given the go-ahead for the six-bedroomed luxury eco-home.

As he travelled to Dorset yesterday to see the damage, his wife Teleri told the Echo from the couple’s main home in Berkshire: “It’s the most terrible shock for us all.

“He’s gone down to see the builders and everyone who was down there. Everyone is feeling pretty awful. The Canadian architect is coming over today – he was coming to see his baby finished.

“The handover was happening in a couple of weeks. We managed to stay there a couple of nights camping over Easter and it was just beautiful.

“We’re so heartbroken. It was a life’s dream and now it’s just gone. It was a complete eco building, something we were doing for the children and their children.

“We’ve spent six years on the project. It’s been a hard few years getting planning permission and the logistics of building it have been great. We were all so proud of it.”

The couple, whose children are 14, 12 and 10, had taken delivery of curtains and ordered furniture for the new three-storey cedar log house. The family had planned to spend four weeks there over the summer with friends.

Mr Iliffe won a protracted battle with Purbeck District Council to build his home. It was to be powered by solar panels and heated by a wood burner, with water from a well.

Access to the 45-acre island was to be by flat-bottomed boat only.

He told planners the idyllic retreat would provide him, his wife and three young children with outdoor adventures in their school holidays.

His plans were initially rejected by Purbeck District Council, even though conservationists praised the design. But Mr Iliffe appealed and a planning inspector ruled in his favour.

Mr Iliffe said at the time: “My family and I will use it quite a lot and will enjoy the outdoor lifestyle and beach there. And we will use it in winter because we will have log burners.”

Mr Iliffe’s plans also included a 10-year programme to rid the island of invasive plants like rhododendron and return it to an indigenous landscape.

He is the great-grandson of the late newspaper magnate Baron Edward Iliffe.