Prehistoric Kents Cavern caves sold to hotel and leisure firm

The caves opened to the public in the 19th Century

A hotel and leisure firm has bought a tourist attraction which includes prehistoric caves for an undisclosed amount.

Kents Cavern, in Devon, was marketed at a guide price between £2m and £2.5m in May with the sale completing in August.

The former owners said the caves were one of the most important Stone Age sites in Europe and were formed more than 2.5 million years ago.

The Tudor Hotel Collection bought the caves and associated features.

The caves, which have been open to the public since the 19th Century, had been owned by the same family since 1903.

The outgoing owners of Kents Cavern thanked their customers and staff for their support over the years

The extensive system of caves were once occupied by prehistoric humans and Ice Age animals.

Since the discovery of the caves, the former owners said more than 80,000 Stone Age artefacts had been found including a prehistoric upper jawbone fragment.

The sale included the underground caverns, woodland trail, visitor centre, restaurant, car park, surrounding land, and a recently refurbished three-bedroom holiday let.

The Tudor Hotel Collection also owns the Bodmin Jail visitor attraction and hotel in Cornwall and the Redcliff Hotel in Paignton.

Rob Cox, chief executive of the firm, said: "Adding Kents Cavern to our collection... is a proud moment for us and underpins our commitment to collating the finest collection of historic hotels and visitor attractions."

The outgoing owners of Kents Cavern, Nick and Sheena Powe, thanked their customers and staff for their support over the years.

Mr Powe said: "The new owners will be bringing the Stone Age heritage alive, offering a better visitor experience, exactly what Kents Cavern needs and what I couldn't do."