Volunteers who run a popular miniature railway in a Newtown park have hit back at a “narrow minded minority” who complained on social media that members were parking on the grass "to avoid car parking charges".

Mid Wales Model Engineers responded to a video posted on Facebook last week showing three vehicles parked on the grassed area near the railway track while members were inside the Hafan yr Afon café.

The complainer claimed that members should park in the nearby Back Lane car park “and stop wrecking the grass”.

On Friday, February 2, a spokesperson for Mid Wales Model Engineers said: “As is the way with some people they spout their rhetoric without bothering to find out the true facts, or even to speak to those concerned.

“We park in front of the container in the park with the full permission of Open Newtown who control and operate the park.

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“The area we park on has a plastic mesh membrane under the grass to protect the ground for occasional use by our cars parking there to allow for access to the site.

“Before going to the café several of us spent the best part of an hour in the cold inspecting the track. In the process of doing this we uncovered a small act of vandalism which if not repaired could result in risk to ourselves and our passengers.

“Finding this damage early means we have time to repair it before our running season starts. We cannot run without repairing it. This vandalism will mean we have to manufacture new parts to repair the damage. Extra work that we could do without.

“After that inspection we retired to the café for a cuppa and a warm up. There were a few other members of our society there who had parked in the car park and not in front of our container.

“As to the comment about us not arriving in one car. There were six of us in the café and does the writer assume we all live in the same place and not, as is the case, spread around the area.

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“We operate the railway as a benefit to the people of the area and an attraction in the town. Many of you appreciate our efforts and enjoy our railway for which we are grateful. It makes all our hard work worthwhile.

“It is a great shame that a narrow-minded minority have to sour things for the rest of us.”

Open Newtown, which manages some of the town’s parklands including the Severn Play Park, publicly showed its support for the Mid Wales Model Engineers.

“Awful that this dedicated team of volunteers have been criticised for providing a much-loved community service,” a spokesperson said. “Shame on anyone casting untruths and aspersions.”

Rides on the miniature railway are a popular tourist attraction on Saturdays from April onwards.