A RAIL attraction at St Newlyn East is “chuffed” after raising £6,600 during its charity day.

Around 1,000 people visited Lappa Valley for the special event in support of Cornwall Air Ambulance on Saturday, March 14.

The attraction waived its usual admission fee and invited visitors to instead make a donation directly to the charity.

Cornwall Air Ambulance volunteers took over the ticket office, ensuring every penny of the admission donation went straight to supporting the charity’s vital work.

Visitors enjoyed a full day of train rides and family activities across the site, alongside special opportunities to meet the team and crew from Cornwall Air Ambulance and learn more about the charity’s lifesaving work across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

Ben Harding, the operations director at Lappa Valley, said: “The atmosphere throughout the day was warm, friendly, and full of community spirit, with families turning out in force to support the cause and enjoy a day out together.

“It was fantastic to see so many people come together to support Cornwall Air Ambulance. The atmosphere throughout the day was brilliant — families enjoying everything Lappa Valley has to offer while knowing they were helping a truly vital service.

“We’ve had some wonderful feedback from visitors, and it was clear that everyone wanted to do their bit for such an important charity.”

The charity day formed part of Lappa Valley’s partnership with Cornwall Air Ambulance as its Charity of the Year for 2026, with the attraction committed to helping raise awareness and vital funds throughout the year.

Keith Southwell, owner of Lappa Valley, added: “Cornwall Air Ambulance provides an essential service for our community, responding when people need help the most. Supporting them as our Charity of the Year is something we feel strongly about, and we’re incredibly grateful to everyone who came along and donated so generously.

“To see over £6,000 raised in a single day is a wonderful result and shows the strength of support for this remarkable charity.”

Cornwall Air Ambulance carries out around 1,000 to 1,200 lifesaving missions every year across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, responding to everything from cardiac arrests to road traffic collisions.

The charity needs to raise more than £8-million annually to keep the service flying, as it receives no regular government or NHS funding for its day-to-day operations. Most of its income comes from public generosity.

Julia Jeffery, corporate partnerships manager at Cornwall Air Ambulance, said: "We are so grateful to everyone who came along to the event to enjoy what was a truly fantastic day.

“We were humbled by the amount of people who came along to support us and the wonderful generosity they showed, which will make a huge difference to our lifesaving work.

"We would like to send our heartfelt thanks to Lappa Valley for putting on such an incredible event.

“Their first as part of having us as their charity of the year and to everyone who helped make the day such a success."