TOURISM businesses in West Somerset reported a good start to the new season.

West Somerset Railway reported an 'amazing' increase in visitor numbers compared with last year.

Martyn Snell said: "It was an amazing weekend for us. Passenger numbers were up 17 per cent on last year, which was also a record."

Numbers of visitors to Minehead were swelled by 7,000 visitors to the Christian Easter Harvest religious festival at Butlins at the weekend.