A HOLIDAY park near Burnham has raised over £1,000 for the town's rescue hovercraft charity.

Holidaymakers at Coombes Cider Farm Holiday Park in the village of Mark raised a grand total of £1,154.80 for Burnham's BARB Search & Rescue.

Park manager Nick Thompson said: "We wanted the funds to be put to good use with a local charity and BARB was our first choice, having seen their rescue hovercrafts in use along our coastline. BARB's volunteers do a marvellous job and we're very fortunate to have them on call in the Burnham area."

Mr Thompson has been so impressed that he's also joined BARB as a volunteer crewmember.

"I was previously a member at SARA when we lived further up the Severn estuary so I know the importance of independent rescue charities like BARB," he said.

The money was raised over the summer season by the park's holidaymakers, with various fundraising activities including a coffee morning, race night, a fun day and collections.

BARB is an independent charity run by a team of 20 volunteers in Burnham. It operates two rescue hovercrafts and two inshore rescue boats which are funded entirely by donations from the public.

A spokesman for BARB said: "A massive well done to everyone at Coombes Cider Farm who has been involved with their fundraising efforts this season raising a fantastic £1,154.80 for BARB Search and Rescue."

Coombes Cider Farm is based at The Causeway in Mark, for more information go to www.westcountryparks.co.uk/touring/coombes-cider-farm-touring-pitches-somerset.