Ambitious plans have been revealed for a scenic railway at a popular recreation spot.

The idea, discussed at a meeting of the charity committee of Cobtree Manor Park in Aylesford, includes building a tunnel for the track beneath Forstal Road.

Trustees say they have discussed the proposals with a construction company, who confirmed it would be feasible, although funding remains an issue.

The estate used to have a light gauge railway, used by visitors who wanted a glimpse of the exotic animals at the former Maidstone Zoo, which operated on the site between 1934 and 1954.

While exact details of the scheme have not yet been outlined, including how it would be paid for, members agreed to approach Kent Highways for advice on the project.

A Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) spokesman said a model railway had long been an ambition of the Cobtree Trust and the Cobtree Manor Estate Trust Committe, adding: “At this time it remains no more than an idea.”

Also on the agenda at the meeting was the possibility of raising car parking charges at the site, although the committee decided against this.

A rise in the £1.50 fee was introduced two years ago, despite opposition.

It comes as trustees were told the estate was expected to have lost around £50,000 in 2016/17, with the cafe having made ‘unsustainable’ losses since it opened, having seen a £200,000 deficit in its first 18 months.

Plans to overhaul the menu, introduce a new serving hatch to reduce waiting times and a trial of using recyclable tableware were among the fixes put forward.

The estate, in Forstal Road, was left for the benefit of the people of Maidstone by owner and former Mayor Sir Garrard Tyrwhitt Drake in his will.

Refurbished at a cost of £1.2 million in 2015, it features a themed play area, sculpture trail, cafe and has a golf course nearby.

MBC has a 999-year lease on the park but holds it in trust for the benefit of the people of Maidstone through the Cobtree Manor Estate Trust.

The trust funds and runs the park and is financially independent from Maidstone council.