Everyone's chuffed as model railway is saved

ATTRACTION SAVED AS CHARITY TRUSTEES PERFORM A U-TURN

- By SAM KALANTZIS

CONTROVERSIAL plans to replace a model railway attraction with a charity shop have been scrapped in a U-turn by officials.

The trustees of the Shuttlewood Clarke Foundation have announced the model railway, located in Ulverscroft Grange, near Markfield, will remain open for the foreseeable future after previously saying it was to close for good on December 19.

The closure had been linked to increased costs of employment, energy and maintenance.

But volunteers at the attraction branded the closure decision as the “ultimate snub” to the legacy of its founder, David Clarke, who died in 2002.

However, over the past few weeks, discussions have taken place between the volunteers and the trustees, and alternative plans have now been submitted to meet the foundation’s requirements.

These plans aim to enhance the entire area, including both the model railway and a charity shop donation point.