The eccentric singer is believed to have fallen in love with the country ' having previously professed a love for traditional UK dish fish and chips and British musicians - and is keen to follow in Madonna's footsteps by purchasing an estate in the UK countryside.

A friend told the Daily Record newspaper: 'No expense will be spared in her quest to make this dream come true.

't's her childhood dream and she's particularly interested in castles in the north of England or Scotland.'

It was reported this week the 'Alejandro' hitmaker was looking to purchase a property on the exclusive island of Martha's Vineyard, off the coast of Massachusetts, US, ready for when her 'Monster Ball Tour' - which has been running since 2009 - wraps up in 2011.

However, the New Yorker could bag herself a bargain if she were to buy in Scotland, where real estate agent Matthew Sinclair has revealed many properties are overpriced.

He said: 'The average time a property is on the market is eight months. That tells us much of the property is overpriced.

'The country house market seems completely static. Some prices being asked are what they would have sold for at the peak of the market.'