PECO is preparing for a charity open garden day at its home in Beer on Sunday, July 18. The model railway track manufacturer is offering free entry to the gardens and model railway exhibition at Pecorama, in Marle Lane, from 10am-5.30pm, to raise funds for Cancer Research UK and Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.

There will be a guest appearance by Paul Atterbury, antiques expert from BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, who is a railway enthusiast and has visited Pecorama before. He will be naming the new guest loco on Pecorama’s Beer Heights Light Railway. Other attractions will include guided tours of the Celebration Garden, cream teas and free face painting. People will also get to meet some of Hearing Dogs hounds. While entry to the gardens is free, rides on the railway require tickets to be purchased and there will be opportunities to make donations to the charities on the day.

Pecorama tourism manager Mark Ridgers explained the charity choices: “Our managing director chose Cancer Research, and we selected Hearing Dogs because two members of staff are hard of hearing.”

Last year’s event raised �1,220 for Guide Dogs for the Blind and �1,016 for the RNLI and Mark is hopeful for a similar result this year: “We hope there will be nice weather and it will be a very busy day.”