Railway appeal reaches £300,000

The line has been hit by landslides in several places

An appeal to raise money for a West Midlands tourist attraction badly damaged in the recent floods has now raise more than £300,000.

The Severn Valley Railway which runs between Shropshire and Worcestershire faces a repair bill of £2.5m after damaged the track in 45 places.

Currently, trains can only run between Kidderminster and Bewdley.

A spokesman said it may now be next year before the full 16-mile line to Bridgnorth is reinstated.

The government has given the railway £1m towards repairs but the £300,000 has been raised by public donations.

One of the largest donations is £5,000 from the County of Salop Steam Engine Society.

But the SVR spokesman said donations have come from far and wide and range from children donating pocket money to individuals giving several thousands of pounds.