Lobster hatchery faces funding crisis

The Padstow centre urgently needs funds

Cornwall's National Lobster Hatchery at Padstow has run into financial difficulties two years after opening.

The centre has asked Cornwall County Council for a lifeline of £10,000 to safeguard thousands of baby lobsters.

The environmental tourist attraction has only been able to hatch half the expected numbers of lobsters because of problems with equipment.

A lack of visitors has also meant a loss of revenue.

The centre needed to attract 50,000 visitors a year to break even but so far it has only achieved half that number.

The centre's manager, Phil Midgley, said the present facilities are inadequate.

He said: "We've adapted as much of the equipment as we can and we are maximising our survival rate by these revisions.

"But unfortunately we need to ask the County Council for more funding in order to get the remainder of the work done."

The hatchery is now trying to raise extra money through grants and sponsorship to enable its work to continue.