A NEW £200,000 investment at a popular East Cornwall visitor centre is due to be officially opened later this month.

The exciting new ?donkey drop-in? at Tamar Valley Donkey Park has been built with the help of a £60,000 Objective One rural tourism grant.

The new 10,000 square foot building offers the donkey park a vital, all-weather indoor play facility and has already proved popular with visitors to the centre.

David Gibbons, one of the partner owners of the park, said: ?It has been our dream to set up an indoor play area since taking over the donkey park five years ago.

?It has been great to see the children enjoying themselves on the new equipment ? we are looking forward to some good children?s parties.?

Mr Gibbons said the donkey drop-in would provide a ?crucial? addition to tourism facilities in East Cornwall, which were sometimes limited in bad weather.

?The park is run as a donkey sanctuary, offering a home to unwanted or neglected animals and it is important that the business thrives to support that work,? said Mr Gibbons. ?This investment is a bit different ? we normally put our animals first, but this investment is doing something for the visitors.?

The donkey drop-in offers a three-level adventure area with aerial walkways, slides and a drop slide, zip line and soft play area. The new facilities include a toddler play area with small ball pool, a sandy castle, ride-on mini tractors and a quiet play area with puzzle cube, lego table and play house.

Children?s parties will be held in a special ?party paddock? and a new climbing wall, called the ?donkey challenge? is due to be installed shortly.

Mr Gibbons said: ?We are going to develop the educational side of things further ? we lost out during the foot and mouth crisis when the schools stopped coming, so we want to encourage them back again.?

An indoor donkey station means donkey rides can take place under cover and a small animal treatment centre has also been built.

Mr Gibbons said reaction to the new facilities at the 15-acre park had been ?very positive?.

?People have been saying ?it?s fantastic, it?s just what we wanted?. People wanted somewhere more local they could come without having to worry about the weather.?

The donkey drop-in is due to be officially opened at noon, during a special open day being held on Sunday June 27. Pirate FM?s Allen Fleckney is due to attend the event, along with a special guest, to be announced shortly.