THOMAS the Tank Engine delighted his young fans when he visited Swindon’s Toys R Us shop yesterday.

Dozens of children enjoyed the Thomas And Friends Inflatable Play Station Experience which brought the world of Sodor to life, giving happy kids a chance to immerse themselves in the world of their favourite show.

The main attraction of the experience was a life-size inflatable Thomas the Tank Engine.

Everyone who made their way through the nine different puzzles and games available at the play area got to meet the Fat Controller and receive a free gift.

As an extra souvenir, they could strike a pose for a photo with Thomas and his pals.

Oxford Road Toys ‘R’ Us store supervisor Simon Palmer was pleased with how the day had gone.

He said: “We’ve had lots of positive comments from customers, it’s been really busy.

“More than 200 people visited Thomas and everyone had a good time.

“We had it last year and it was quite popular but it’s been even better this time, it’s really good.”

Thomas stopped off in the town which, fittingly, has a famous history with the Great Western Railway, as part of his nationwide tour of toy shops all over the country.

It was part of a promotional campaign for a new range of Thomas the Tank Engine merchandise that’s arriving in shops soon.