The adorable miniature railway through fairy woods that kids love - and it's only £2.50 to ride

This cute miniature railway in Poynton has been a popular destination for families for the past 40 years. But Brookside Miniature Railway looks even better than ever thanks to the dedication of a team of local volunteers who took it over when it was at risk of closing forever five years ago.

Now, a team of railway enthusiasts tend to the tracks and the steam engines, paint the gates, the mini railway station and signal boxes to keep it looking picture perfect when it opens every week. It opens every Thursday through to Sunday and costs just £2.50 to ride the train.

The engine heads out on a picturesque loop around the Brookside Garden Centre site in Poynton, taking in river views and weaving through tunnels and passing an original signal box that's almost 100 years old. And the new owners have even created an adorable "fairy wood" for passengers to look out for on the way.

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The magical section of the ride comes complete with a tiny fairy kingdom with castles and bridges. It leads on to a gnome garden with a wealth of cute mini statues that were all donated by local residents.

The train navigates its way over wooden bridges across the Norbury Brook as well - giving it a unique journey straddling the Cheshire and Stockport border. There's even a local celebrity as station manager - band leader Andy Prior who had his own entertainment show on the BBC in the 1990s.

The miniature railway was first opened back in 1984 by the former owner of the garden centre and has delighted families ever since. But in 2018 it appeared to be at risk of permanent closure, until a group of local railway enthusiasts teamed up to take it on.

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