As winter bites, many of us worry about the thud of a hefty heating bill on the doormat.

But not Tim Willcox and his wife Margaret, who instead look forward to receiving a cheque from the National Grid paying them almost £1,500.

The couple have built an eco home that is effectively a miniature power station, exporting their home-grown electricity.

A couple in Somerset have received a £1,500 cheque from the Natonal Grid after creating eco-property with two types of solar panels

Tim Willcox and his wife Margaret's eco home is effectively a miniature power station and exports their home-grown electricity. The couple are pictured together in the property

But there is a catch – the super-insulated house in Somerset cost them more than £500,000.

The couple’s home has two types of solar power – one heats water while an array of photovoltaic panels generate electricity.

In the 12 months to November last year, the couple used £292.87 of gas and another £413.53 of electricity, making a total of £706.40.