I’ll be honest, a week in a holiday park with two excitable eight-year-olds is not really my idea of bliss. Particularly after last year’s expedition to a holiday park in Devon, which promised a ‘fun packed’, ‘relaxing’ and ‘enjoyable’ experience but actually delivered a torturous, rain-filled week full of tears and tantrums.

The truth is, as much as I convince myself that a family holiday will be a great opportunity to enjoy some quality time with my little loved ones, inevitably I end up a quivering wreck, questioning whether having children was really for me.

However, I have found the perfect solution, located on Hayling Island, Hampshire. Mill Rythe Holiday Village is the perfect place for both adults and children to enjoy some time away to either relax, or enjoy the thrill-a-minute array of activities the park has to offer.

Mill Rythe is tucked away on the western side of Chichester Harbour. Hayling Island is ideal for families, and the beach boasts a European Blue Flag Award where I enjoyed a couple of hours soaking up some rays, while the kids threw sand in each other’s eyes.

From the beach you can jump on a little train that runs along the seafront to Funland Amusement Park.

Mill Rythe has been a hugely popular destination for families and couples wishing to holiday on these shores for decades. Indeed, people return year after year to enjoy its facilities.

According to many of the returning ‘happy campers’ Mill Rythe suffered a fall from grace several years ago with corners being cut, and quality suffering.

But that was then and this is now. Under the new management of Away Resorts, the Village is enjoying something of a renaissance The Village offers pleasant and comfortable accommodation. Recently refurbished, the spacious, chalet-style rooms are spotlessly clean and come equipped with ensuites, flat screen Freeview TVs and kitchens complete with fridge and coffee-making equipment. Double, twin and bunk options are all available.

Plus, and perhaps most importantly, an array of seemingly endless leisure activities are available for both adults and children and are listed in a daily programme.

Between us, we managed to get through pretty much all of them – abseiling, snorkelling, kayaking, water walking, and archery to name a few.

And, not wanting to blow my own trumpet, it turns out I’m a bit of a legend with a crossbow...

The park also organises activities that run throughout the day specifically for five- to 12-year-olds, including classes such as pottery painting and fossil finding.

Activities need to be booked in advance and work on a first-come basis.

I would advise getting to the booking desk early to ensure that you don’t miss out.

A great number of the activities are free, while other sessions are available from £4 per person, or you can choose to buy an Activity Pass which entitles the holder to free access to all paid for activities. Amazingly, a six-day activity pass costs £15 per person.

Guests can opt to stay at Mill Rythe on a full-board or half-board basis, but we opted for half-board and enjoyed a full English breakfast with tea and coffee every morning with the kids choosing pancakes.

In the evenings you could choose a three-course meal from the menu or opt to visit one of the various self service bars which included meats and salads, an omelette bar and a wok and curry bar. The food was a very good standard and the waiting staff were excellent.

The ballroom is where the evening entertainment is held. This begins with the kids’ show and party games, before the children are then whisked away by the entertainment staff to another room to play and the adults get down to the serious business of holiday park bingo. Each evening the park holds a disco, a live band and a visiting cabaret, or a show from the Mill Rythe show cast which I thought was excellent.

The centre offers some fantastic on-site facilities including indoor and outdoor pools, sauna and jacuzzi, children’s soft play area, all-weather bowling green, pool tables, amusement arcades, tennis courts and minigolf.

The health and beauty salon offers a variety of treatments for reasonable prices, and the neck and shoulder massage comes highly recommended.

Away Resorts has an adults-only 2012 brochure for its Mill Rythe Holiday Village, packed full of themed weekend and mid-week breaks.

Also, for the first time, the park will be hosting a new concept called New Companions, a speed-dating event for singles or couples, designed to help people meet new people for friendship on holiday. The event is held on the afternoon of the first day of each break.

As well as all the new themed mini-breaks, Away Resorts has a lot of events planned at its parks to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee next weekend and the Olympics.

I can’t recommend the park highly enough for a Blighty break at a reasonable price.

Mill Rythe is definitely worth a visit – the kids can’t wait to go back and to be honest, and to my absolute amazement, nor can I.

WHERE TO STAY Mill Rythe Holiday Park, Havant Road, Hayling Island, Hampshire, PO11 0PB Tel: 02392 46 00 44 mill-rythe.com/families/ THEMED BREAKS Summer Family Activity and Entertainment Break – seven-night breaks from July 20 and consecutive breaks throughout August Adult £249 Eight - 15 years £99 Two - seven years £50 Under 2s FREE Adults only: Summer Jazz Party Three nights half-board – June 15 Jazz Bands including New Orleans Z'Hulus, French Quarter All Stars, and loads more.

Price: £169 per person The Golden Age Of Variety - June 22 Three nights half-board – £139 Featuring the comedy talent of The Grumbleweeds and Mick Miller plus resident band and Show Cast entertainment team .

n Many more themed breaks are available. See website for details.