CHILDREN could be seen racing around historic engines this weekend as they sought out item after item on the Easter trail set up by Swindon & Cricklade Railway.

“It’s always a great idea to put one of these on. It gets the kids out the door and makes all the history a little more light-hearted for them,” said Rob Thomas, 38, a father-of-two from Redhouse. “It’s hard to convince them to do anything which doesn’t involve chocolate over this weekend.”

Rob’s eldest, Sam, 11, said: “It’s a lot of fun and takes hard work to find the things on the trail. I have to stop myself running around too much.”

Mother-of-three, Rebecca Murphy, 42, of Old Town, said: “The weather dropped off a little over the weekend and I wanted to do something with the children, so this seemed like a safe bet. It’s been quite challenging actually. Some of the items aren’t as easy to find as you would think.”

There was also a host of fun activities taking place at Lydiard Park on Easter Sunday for families to take part in, with many refusing to let the rain spoil their day.

The central activity was the Easter Egg Trail in which youngsters searched the historic grounds for Easter related clues before picking up a surprise at the end.

The trail began at the house and allowed those taking part to enjoy the forest and the lake.

A variety of other activities taking place at Lydiard Park over the Easter period including a seasonal exploration and mouse trail. Until June children can also follow Fredrick the Fox Cub as he discovers the signs of spring around the park.