THERE'S no going back for this Skipton family who are packing their lives into a couple of suitcases and leaving behind the cold Dales winters for warmer Australian climes.

On April 13 Helen Crabtree-Spencer, husband Andy Spencer and daughter Ruby will make the move that most people only dream about.

The fact that they have no home and no jobs to go to is not dampening their excitement.

Their plans for a new life in Australia have taken two-and-a-half years to come to fruition, and have meant jumping through legal hoops while contending with personal upheaval.

But now it is a race against time to land down under!

In October 2000, just after the death of Helen's father, Harry Crabtree, the couple started collecting information for their visa applications and submitted them in May 2001.

Both then needed police and medical clearance.

Things were complicated by the fact the couple had worked in the Middle East for two years, and papers were passed back and forth - often in Arabic!

And as if all this were not enough to fill their time, Helen and Andy were married in Dubai and baby Ruby was born.

Medical clearance was finally granted on April 19 2002 and the couple were told that it would only be a matter of months before the visas were passed.

They left their rented home in Wigan, as the lease was due to expire, and moved back to Skipton to live with Helen's mum for what they thought would be their final couple of months in England.

But they waited and waited and started to get more than a little concerned when the visas had not arrived by Christmas - knowing that the medical clearance only lasts a year.

Last Tuesday the visas finally dropped through the letterbox, giving the family just over two months to pack up the essentials, arrange flights and get over to Australia.

"After all this time we are now throwing things in boxes and packing to ensure we keep within the time limit," said Helen.

They are heading for Brisbane and will live with friends until they can find their own home.

Helen, a midwife and trained reflexologist, hopes to continue work in this field and Andy will look for a job in the aircraft industry.

Both are excited and nervous by the impending move but are convinced that Ruby, now 20-months-old, will have more opportunities and a better lifestyle in warmer Australia.

"It is a more outdoor lifestyle, everyone lives outside much more and that is appealing," said Helen.

"Once you have sampled a different lifestyle abroad it is much easier to do it again."

She added that the only thing they would miss would be family and friends.