A FARM which was one of the first in the country to open to the public has added some new attractions for visitors.

Finkley Down Farm, in Andover, first opened to the public 38 year’s ago, when it received media attention as a completely new concept for a family attraction.

It is now open all year round and visitors can now enjoy some added features, including a new outdoor adventure playground, which opened on March 30.

Charlie Waters, managing director of Finkley, who opened the farm in 1981, said: “We added a Meerkat Mansion last summer which is a great attraction. It draws people to the other side of the farm. We also opened a new musical garden with musical instruments.”

The music garden includes drums, xylophones, turning wheels which make music, a fire engine complete with a siren, a train, tunnels and a roundabout.

Other new additions include the Little Farmers Driving School where children can drive mini land rovers and receive a certificate for passing their test, and a pirate water wars attraction which opened over the Easter holidays.

Charlie, a father-of-three, said the new adventure playground has been designed for all ages in mind, explaining: “It’s got access for younger children and a challenging part for older children. We keep adding to the farm park because we want to give visitors better value for a day out. We are a growing business and we want to move forward.”

He said the farm has evolved since it first opened, adding: “We have tried to keep the traditional aspects of a farm but we have had to modernise as well. When we first opened, we were one of the first farm parks in the country. People going to a farm for a day out was quite unusual. We received a lot of attention. We were more a museum at the time but we realised that the market was for children who wanted to play.”

The indoor play barn with soft play and a café was added in 2012 and the farm is now open all year round as a result.

More than 140,000 people now visit Finkley each year enjoying a range of attractions including animal handling and feeding, trampolines, a sandpit, birds of prey and various play parks.

During the spring months visitors can also enjoy bottle feeding the baby lambs.