A HEREFORDSHIRE family is going to invest and redevelop an amusement park at the popular seaside resort of Barry Island.

The keys to Barry Island Pleasure Park were handed over to Henry Danter on Monday and work began straight away to get it ready to open on Good Friday.

Mr Danter, who also owns the Symonds Yat West Leisure Park, said it took a while to gain possession of the fairground due to legal ties with the previous owner.

He plans to invest up to £20m in the fairground.

Mr Danter said: "We are replacing it with a better one. As an amusement park it was open maybe 10 years ago but more recently it has had a travelling fun fair there."

Finance Wales and Barclays have invested in the regeneration project.

Mr Danter added: "I have a lot of fond memories of Barry with my mother and father and brothers and sisters. Barry Island was a special day out.

"We never thought we would own the park but we do now.

"It wasn't for money. It was because, I think, we were in love with it, in a way. We always enjoyed going there."