Gordon Brown appears to be taking seriously warnings from ministerial friends that he must take a holiday and be seen to take a holiday.

The Prime Minister’s stay on the Suffolk coast, which begins this weekend, is expected to be longer than first thought and is developing into a big family event.

Mr Brown, his wife Sarah, and their sons John and Fraser will stay in a rented house between Southwold and Walberswick. They will be joined by Mrs Brown’s brother and his family and by one of Mr Brown’s brothers. The plan is to stay for up to a fortnight, after which Mr Brown will continue his break in Scotland before heading to the Olympics in Beijing.

Ministers have told Mr Brown that he should take a proper holiday – not only because he needs one after a gruelling first year in the job, but also because the public expects prime ministers to have a break. Last year he was in Dorset for only hours before returning to London to take charge of the response to the foot-and-mouth outbreak.

He has left Alistair Darling, the Chancellor, in charge for the first part of his holiday. Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, will take over later.

Mr Brown wanted a traditional seaside family holiday. He left the choice of venue to his wife and told colleagues that he found out where he was going only recently after press speculation.

. . . . . . while David Cameron ignores a fishy story

David Cameron will be braving a 500-year-old curse when he takes his family on holiday to Cornwall next week.

The Camerons are believed to be staying in an ancient granite house whose previous owners were the first victims of the curse by Mother Ivey, a white witch after whom a bay near Padstow is named.

When a landowner from the wealthy Peter family ploughed a rejected cargo of pilchards into his field rather than distribute it to starving villagers, Mother Ivey gave warning that death would follow if anyone broke the topsoil and its owner would never profit from the field.

Within days of the land next being ploughed, the Peters’ oldest son was thrown from his horse and killed.

The field was left undisturbed for more than 400 years until the Second World War, when defensive trenches were dug by the Home Guard. Shortly afterwards, the owner’s son then was killed in a bombing raid.

In the 1970s a group with metal detectors dug in the field unaware of its reputation. Within days one of their number is said to have died from a heart attack.

Only ten years ago the foreman of a team laying sewage pipes is said to have died soon afterwards.

Local people say the Camerons should be safe so long as they avoid the field, which lies fallow.

Times Recommends

• One case exposes grim reality for thousands
• A glass case: Prince who yearns for action
• Elizabeth Gaskell: I won’t see out the year