Andy Murray buys Surrey mansion

Perhaps fearing the media intrusion should he end up winning Wimbledon, tennis ace Andy Murray has chosen this weekend to swap his London apartment for a £5.45m mansion in leafy Surrey.

The 22-year-old Scot has been overseeing the move from the riverside pad in Wandsworth that he shares with 21-year-old girlfriend Kim Sears to a new six-bedroom mock-regency home in the commuter belt in the run-up to what is undoubtedly the biggest tournament of his career.

Removal men have been spotted carrying large cuddly toy versions of Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore and Tigger along with some of Murray's collection of arcade machines.

There have been raised eyebrows at the timing of the move. Some are surprised that Murray has chosen to undertake one of life's most stressful tasks days before he begins his quest to become the first Brit to win at Wimbledon since Bunny Austin in 1938, but Murray has shrugged off the weight of expectation. Earlier in the week he said that he would not let the pressure of being third seed and many people's tip for the title get to him. "I'm going to live my normal life," he announced.

Once the move is complete Murray will be living his "normal life" in a six-bedroom home that boasts an indoor swimming pool with sauna and jacuzzi, a library, games room, cinema, summerhouse and a triple garage. The one thing it does lack is a tennis court.

Murray's new neighbours include Ashley and Cheryl Cole, England captain John Terry and his Chelsea team mate Didier Drogba.

His new home may also give Murray another incentive to perform well at Wimbledon - the winner of this year's tournament picks up a cheque for £850,000 which would pay off a fair chunk of the mortgage. ·