In the Necker time: Richard Branson has rebuilt the house on his private island to replace the one that burned down... just as winter sets in here in Blighty

Sir Richard Branson shows off the new luxury home he has built on his private island to replace the one which burned to the ground.
His previous pile on Necker Island in the Caribbean was razed in a blaze two years ago while Kate Winslet was staying as a guest and she helped lead the tycoon's mother Eve to safety.
Now Sir Richard has completed the replacement and the Virgin boss told Hello! magazine that he now uses it as his main residence.

Family fun: Richard Branson and his family (L-R) son Sam and wife Isabella, daughter Holly and husband Freddie Andrewes shows off their new house on Necker Island that replaced the one that burned down

The businessman - who posed with his family in a shoot for the magazine - said the best way to recover from the shock of the devastating fire had been to immediately
begin building another house.

Out this week: Read all about Richard Bransons rebuild in Hello this week

'It may sound strange for me to say that, but we had an hour when we weren't sure if everyone had got out alive, so the enormous relief we felt when we realised everybody was fine.
'Later that morning, while the fire was still burning, we got out a big sheet of paper and started planning the rebuild. That's the best way to cope with situations like this - to be positive and plan for the future.'
Speaking about how he has based himself there, Sir Richard said: 'I bought the island when I was 27 and have tried to come here every spare minute ever since.
'I have my office here and it's easy to attract people to come from all over the world, to plot and plan things. When I'm not working I can spend a day kiting, playing tennis, keeping fit, and now I'm in my mid-60s I feel I've reached an age where [those sort of activities] are essential.'
He posed alongside his children Holly and Sam and their respective spouses Freddie Andrewes and Isabella Calthorpe in front of the property in the Virgin Islands.
Holly said they had tried to retain the essence of the original property, called the Great House:
'Initially, when we first started making plans, Sam and I were pernickety about the details, getting our notebooks out.
'But what's amazing is that as soon as we walked in we were like, "Wow - it has the same feeling." It's got the same vibe as the old place.'
The full interview is in the new edition of Hello! which is out now.

Destruction: The original house burned to the ground when it was struck by lightning during Tropical Storm Irene in 2011

Let the parties commence: Richard is happy that the rebuild is complete and his family can enjoy Necker Island once again