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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Entertainment
Kit Roberts & Kate Lally

The tiny village where Gemma Owen grew up just 20 miles from Liverpool

The quaint village where Gemma Owen grew up could not be more different to the Love Island villa.

Michael Owen's daughter Gemma continues to find herself in the spotlight on this year's show. The 19-year-old has drawn a lot of attention from viewers, who have had a mixed reaction.

While the dressage rider introduced herself as being from Chester as she entered the villa, the family home 'Lower Soughton Hall' is actually located in Wales, near Mold, in Flintshire.

READ MORE: Michael Owen sought therapy due to 'jealousy' over daughter Gemma

Gemma grew up in the small village of Northop, around 20 miles from Liverpool. Northop, called Llaneurgain in Welsh, has a population of around 3,000 people, and two pubs.

A central feature of the tiny village is the Grade I listed St Eurgain and St Peter's Church, which has dates back to the 13th century, though it is not clear how much of this structure survives.

There is also evidence of a church on the site as far back as the very early days of Christianity in the 6th century, Cheshire Live reports. People travelling to the tiny village can hardly miss a grandiose set of electric gates designed to keep intruders away from the former England star's home.

Gemma Owen lives with her family in a Grade II listed manor house (ITV)

Michael Owen allowed Keith Lemon to snoop around the family's Grade II listed manor house for ITV's Through the Keyhole back in 2019. The family have lived in the home since 2001.

Lemon said the mansion, which is worth an estimated £4m and nestled among 42 acres of countryside, was one of the most impressive houses he'd ever seen on the show. In an exclusive look around the sport star's property at the time, Keith Lemon (Leigh Francis) began by taking viewers through the main entrance, opening up into a reception room and hallway, decorated with traditional wooden wall panels and oak wooden flooring.

Gemma has now swapped out life in the idyllic Welsh countryside for the sun of Majorca. The 19-year-old has already become the centre of attention on the show.

Many fans have expressed their disapproval over her age, feeling that 19 is too young for her to be on the show. Meanwhile, her family is rumoured to have signed her up to a PR agency after her debut on the show.

Love Island continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and the ITV Hub

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