THERE'S a small part of Sweden which is fast becoming 'forever Tavistock' — all thanks to a 'mini-migration' by a West Devon famiy.

It might not be comparable with a full scale Viking invasion in reverse, but the Swedish summer island resort of Gotland, situated south of Stockholm in the Baltic Sea, is now the home to no fewer than nine Tavistokians.

It all started when Lucinda Burrows from Tavistock met her Swedish sweetheart Johan Rydqvist on board the cruiseship Superstar Gemini in 2000, where she performed as a singer and he was a marine engineer.

Lucinda established her musical career in Tavistock, performing in the West Devon Club, the Royal British Legion Club, Jo's and singing on Brittany Ferries. She has also worked with top artists such as The Drifters, Jethro and The Three Degrees

Love blossomed on board the Superstar and Johan, from Gotland in Sweden, moved to be with his shipmate in West Devon, where he and Lucinda married in St Eustachius Church, Tavistock, in September 2002.

The couple lived at Bishopsmead. Son Oliver was born in 2003 and Freja two years later, both at Derriford Hospital.

In 2006 the Rydqvist family decided to move to Hemse in Gotland and soon they were joined by Lucinda's parents, Rosemary and David Thomas — who had retired from running the Tavistock bus station kiosk. They sold their Mary Tavy house and moved to Sweden earlier this year. Baby Leah has also now arrived on the scene.

Lucinda's parents were soon visited by their best friends — and they too fell in love with the area and decided to emigrate to Gotland.

The Rydqvist family live in the small village of Hemse. Gotland island itself features rolling green countryside, forest-lined roads, fine beaches and small fishing villages, as well as the medieval town of Visby, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995 and known as 'the city of roses.'

Lucinda, 38, told the Times: 'We decided to make the move for the quality of life.

'It is a wonderful place to live — just ask our friends who have come to visit!

'There is no stress and everything is just so relaxing. There are lots of wide open spaces and plenty of areas for the kids to run around. With a lesser population and more land, you get much more house for your money. The children's nursery is excellent.

Lucinda said when they first settled in Gotland, her husband was still working on the cruise ships and was away 10 weeks at a time.

'I spoke no Swedish and had to live here on my own with the children.

'I started learning the language in school where I met lots of wonderful people from all over the world, a couple from England and many from Iraq, Africa and other war torn areas with such harrowing stories. It made my move seem so easy.'

Lucinda said she was so lucky to live on Gotland as it was such a beautiful island — and a popular summer resort for the Swedes.

She said Hemse had everything the family needed — apart from a pub

'Although there is an English one in Visby!' added Lucinda.

The Tavistock 'invasion' has caused quite a stir in the community and two newspapers have featured their story, as they think it quite unusual that so many people from England have decided to move to an island in the middle of the Baltic Sea.

'We do think it funny that out of all the people that came over to Oliver's christening in 2003 there are only two that have not moved here,' said Lucinda,

'We shall be working on that!'