A stunning home with links to Daniel Defoe and the real-life Robinson Crusoe has been put up for sale - for more than £3M.

Villa Crusoe was built in the early 1920s by the wealthy Wade family from Bristol who hosted a range of distinguished guests.

On one occasion they are said to have entertained Daniel Defoe as he met a gentlemen there called Alexander Selkirk, who told the author of his epic adventures.

This is widely believed to have inspired the story of Robinson Crusoe, that went on to become one the most beloved books in literary history.

The home, a privately situated villa, on the banks of the River Avon, has direct water access, a boathouse, quay, slipway, moorings and extensive gardens and grounds, according to the listing on Savills.

It has been marketed for a price of £3.3M.

Its place in history is linked to the Wade family of Nailsea Court who were said to have introduced Scottish sailor Selkirk to Defoe.

Selkirk spent four years on the uninhabited island of Más a Tierra, now renamed Robinson Crusoe island, off the coast of Chile.

He was rescued in 1709 by Woodes Rogers during a British expedition with his adventures later published in both A Voyage to the South Sea, and Round the World and A Cruising Voyage Around the World in 1712.

Defoe never formally confirmed or denied Selkirk was the model for the hero of his book, but he is widely thought to have inspired him after being introduced by the Wade family in the 18th century.

The same family then went on to build Villa Crusoe two centuries later.

Stunning drone pictures show the huge scale of the property near Kingsbridge, that stretches across more than 3,000 sq ft over three floors.

Any buyer could also extend under existing planning permission for a modern two story extension.

The local property agent marketing the home for Savills said: "Swallows and Amazons meets Robinson Crusoe.

"This enchanting waterside setting is one of the finest in the South Hams and to me is everything one could want from a coastal home."

The listing on Savills added: "Set on the banks of the River Avon, in the beautiful South Hams, Villa Crusoe enjoys a wonderful south facing position, with mature woodland gardens to the north and its own tidal beach to the south.

"With Bigbury-on-Sea, Challaborough and Mothecombe to the west and Bantham, Thurlestone and Salcombe to the east, the property provides a heavenly setting to explore all that the surrounding area has to offer."

The home includes a reception hall with cloakroom, three south facing reception rooms, a substantial kitchen with Aga, a laundry room and boiler room.

On the first floor there is a principal bedroom suite, four guest bedrooms, two bathrooms, a shower room and cloakroom. There is a further bedroom suite on the second floor.

There are also a series of outbuildings, including garaging, workshops and stores. A guest suite in an elevated woodland setting is also included complete with wood burner, en suite bathroom and terrace.