A BUMPER bank holiday has put the local tourist industry back on track after the disastrous start to the holiday season.

The continuing foot-and- mouth crisis crippled East Hampshire's tourist industry at the beginning of February with government guidelines forcing the closure of some rural attractions.

This led to confusion about which attractions were still open having catastrophic effects on more than 30 attractions throughout the district despite the fact that they remained open.

However. tourism bosses hope that the bank holiday will have sparked a mini-revival which will bring visitors back in their droves.

Administrator of Gilbert White' House and the Oates museum in Selborne, Anna Jackson said: "We did quite well at the weekend although our numbers were still a little bit down on last year.

"The tea parlour was very busy."

Mrs Jackson said that despite some concern overseas, foreign visitors did not seem to be put off by television images of the foot and mouth outbreak from which Hampshire seems to have so far escaped.

"Visitors are coming from all over really, the Americans, and everyone who we would normally expect at this time of year.

"We are down a little on last year and obviously we would expect to have slightly more visitors than last year but we are very pleased that the message that we are open is getting through."

At the Watercress Line, the Thomas the Tank Engine extravaganza is a proven crowd-puller. While advanced bookings were said to be down by up to 20 per cent on last year, according to Mid-Hants Watercress Line director, David Snow, this may be offset by the number of people attending on the day.

"We were certainly busy but we can't yet quantify it. Exact figures are unlikely to be known until the end of May," he said.

Unlike other years there was no parking this year at Ropley. Normally located in a farmer's field next to the station, this was felt to be inappropriate due to the foot-and-mouth crisis.

As a result, visitors had to access the traditional festivities at Ropley station from Alresford or from Alton, where a special park and ride service was set up using vintage buses running from a site on the Omega Park industrial estate via Papermill Lane to the station.

Alton passengers paid at the SWT ticket office and this money will eventually come back to the Mid-Hants Railway minus a ten per cent commission - hence the delay in being able to assess visitor numbers.

The Thomas the Tank theme continued on the Watercress Line throughout the week culminating in a grand finale this weekend which is expected to attract yet more crowds to Ropley via Alton and Alresford.

Other local attractions reported a similar story. Birdworld at Holt Pound attracted visitors throughout Easter with the bank holiday being the icing on the cake.

General manager Mark Anderson described the Easter holiday season as "wonderful".

"We had a very good weekend, obviously the weather was good which helped," he said.

"It is nice to see that the visitors are coming back after everything that has happened and nice to see that we are getting good press coverage."

The Holt Pound birdpark has been targeting local people as part of a publicity campaign to tempt visitors.

Coverage in The Herald and on Meridian television helped to boost Birdworld's profile throughout the south and its efforts have paid off.

"We overflowed from our car parks on a few of the days and some people had to park in the garden centre next door" Mr Anderson said.

The bumper Easter is an added bonus for Birdworld which has only recently reopened its Jenny Wren Farm closed when a suspected case of foot-and-mouth was reported in Monkwood, near East Tisted.

The suspected case was later confirmed as a false alarm.

"Our young birds are proving popular with the visitors, we have got four young penguins at the moment and people can see ducklings around too."

Another business which was pleased with the Easter and bank holiday season was the Alice Holt woodland park which has only recently reopened following the relaxation of foot-and-mouth restrictions.

A spokesman said: "We did quite well over the bank holiday period although obviously the weather plays a part.

"It is great to welcome visitors back again and to see something positive being written again.

"Articles in places like The Herald have helped us and I think that word of mouth has also played a big part as well.

"We are just glad that the message seems to be getting through that we are open for business."