A major tourist attraction in Oswestry is steaming ahead after it was awarded a six-figure grant from the town council.

The £120,000 fund will help steer the Cambrian Heritage Railways long-running project to breathe new life into the railway line, meaning it will run from the town centre through to Weston.

The upgrade to the 1.75-mile stretch will attract some 20,000 visitors and bring at least £1.28 million to the town’s economy every year.

Mayor of Oswestry, Councillor Vince Hunt, said the funding has come from the Smithfield Windfall.

He continued: "I am absolutely delighted that trains will be able to get to Weston, it's going to be great for the town. It will bring in more money through tourism footfall and that is exactly what the town needs and exactly what we should be supporting as a town council."

The project has only been made possible after Shropshire Council invested in work to make the Gasworks Bridge passable by lowering the track.

Cllr Hunt added: "I would like to thank my fellow councillors for backing this project, as well as Shropshire Council for its investment and also the many volunteers who work on the railway.

"And also former Shropshire councillors Arthur Walpole and David Lloyd, who have also worked with me on this."

The railway already provides trips from the station in Oswald Road to the Gasworks Bridge, however the extension will complete the near two-mile route as well as the creation of a visitor centre at Weston with a connection to the adjacent Stonehouse Brewery.

Rob Williams, chairman of Cambrian Heritage Railways, commented: “It has been a long time coming but we are ecstatic that we can really push forward with phase one of our heritage project.

"It's a great heritage railway and will clearly be fantastic for the town as the station is so close to the town centre.

"We are grateful to Oswestry Town Council and Shropshire Council for their generosity."

Mr Williams revealed the next phase will be to link the line at Weston with the small section already running trains at Llynclys, while a separate project aims to create a community transport link in the opposite direction between Oswestry Railway Station and the main line at Gobowen Railway Station, including a halt at the Orthopaedic Hospital.