Man U star's £400 caravan holiday

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A caravan park on the north Wales coast is not the most obvious holiday destination for a highly-paid Manchester United superstar.

But holidaymakers at Presthaven Sands in Prestatyn found themselves alongside Rio Ferdinand on a £400 family break.

The England defender joined his fiancee and two sons in a caravan, enjoying the go-karts and other attractions.

Ferdinand seems to have joined the trend for "staycation" holidays during the credit crunch, for a day at least.

The player, who cost Man United about £30m when he moved from Leeds in 2002, posed for pictures and signed autographs.

Haven Holidays said it had no idea Ferdinand was coming until he arrived.

"He really seemed to enjoy himself," said a company spokeswoman.

"He was happy to sign autographs and have his picture taken as he mingled affably with other holidaymakers".

Some of the other children that were holidaying at the park went absolutely wild when they saw Rio Haven Holidays

"We were delighted that he and his family chose to come and enjoy themselves at Presthaven.

"Some of the other children that were holidaying at the park went absolutely wild when they saw Rio and he spent more than an hour mixing with the crowd."

The paparazzi were nowhere to be seen, but fellow holidaymakers were quick to snap the star enjoying himself on the go-karts.

Ferdinand arrived at Presthaven Sands at the end of his August while his fiancee Rebecca Ellison and their two sons, aged three and one, were spending a weekend in one of the site's top-of-the-range caravans, costing about £400.

The Presthaven website describes the caravans: "There's clever storage, high levels of comfort and all the essentials that you need for a great holiday, our good value standard range has everything you need, whilst at the top of the range, platinum offer the ultimate in quality and style for that special 'wow' factor offering you the best of everything."

While footballers' holidays are more typically associated with Dubai and the south of France, Ferdinand is known for sometimes breaking the stereotype.

He once told the BBC that he travelled around Russia on his own because he was curious about the country.

Ferdinand was not the only celebrity to spend a holiday in north Wales this summer.

Comedian Les Dennis enjoyed a break at Haven's Hafan y Mor site - the former Butlin's holiday camp at Pwllheli - where he spent many of his childhood holidays and won a talent competition at the age of 14.

The Haven spokeswoman said Dennis had enjoyed watching a talent contest.

The interior of one of the caravans at Presthaven Sands in Prestatyn