THE chance to live like royalty in some of North Yorkshire's top country homes is being offered by local gentry.

The transfer of the Royal Ascot race meeting to York racecourse has sparked a rush among owners keen to make the most of the opportunity, many of them welcoming a windfall from renting out their homes to wealthy racegoers during the famous meet.

Hundreds of residents, including peers, knights of the realm and other titled property owners, are moving out to capitalise on the influx of well-heeled visitors.

North Yorkshire has a host of mansions, castles and stately homes which are being offered to visitors as well as the ordinary three-bedroom homes.

There is even a complete hotel on the rental market, the Mallyan Spout Hotel in Goathland. This sleeps 44 people and is on offer at £120,000 for the week.

It is expected that some 50,000 racegoers will visit the event, which will be held from June 14-18 next year. A change of venue is necessary for one year because of extensive renovations to the Ascot course in Berkshire.

For £50,000, you could have a house party at Thorp Perrow, near Bedale. This is the figure - "negotiable" - being asked for five days' stay by Sir John and Lady Ropner. All meals are included, and there is space for a helicopter to land.

Thorp Perrow is a nine-bedroom Georgian house set in 3,500 acres of parkland. Sir John, 67, intends to use the rental money to renovate stables and more at the house, which has been in his family since 1927.

"If the client wants us to move out, we will do, but if they want us to stay we will be happy to remain and help our staff look after guests," he said.

Constable Burton Hall, an eighteenth century estate near Leyburn, 48 miles from York, has eight bedrooms and is on offer for £40,000. Owners Charles and Maggie Wyvill intend to act as hosts and will be aided by a chef and two housekeepers.

"Unless the clients want us out of the way, then I would hop over to France," Mrs Wyvill joked. "Seriously, though, I would probably stay nearby in case anything went wrong. We know many people in the racing world so this will be a wonderful opportunity for us. We shall probably be attending the races ourselves."

Mr Wyvill added: "I have mixed feelings about it but if a let falls into our lap we will go for it. Like every other large house, this one eats up an awful lot of money."

Other properties on offer include Newby Hall, near Ripon, at £64,625. Owned by Richard and Lucinda Compton, it is the most expensive, but does have Chippendale furniture and classical sculptures.

Bolton Hall and Clifton Castle are both on offer at £40,000.

A spokesman for Boulton and Cooper Stephenson, which has 100 homes on offer, defended the prices being asked.

"Our properties range from palatial homes costing up to £50,000 a week, to modest bed and breakfast accommodation costing as little as £50 per night.

"Initially, £50,000 sounds a lot but if the property sleeps 16 people, it can work out at £500 per person a night, no more than a five-star hotel during Royal Ascot week, but with more facilities."

Ascot Lets in York is offering 318 properties which have a total of 1,397 rooms. It is managing the Mallyan Spout Hotel which has 21 rooms. Michael Bell, who bought the property last year, said it was decided it would be nice to offer the hotel exclusively to a group of people for the whole week.