THE disastrous English summer has claimed another victim - the family-run Bee World and Animal Centre, in Stogumber.

Visitor numbers dropped by more than 4,000 after this year's particularly wet summer despite a peak of more than 23,000 visitors in 1999.

Now owners Richard Bolton and his son Simon have decided to call it a day after investing more than £300,000 in the business over the years.

The father and son team, together with their wives, decided to diversify away from their fruit-farming and bee-keeping business some ten years ago.

Since then the centre has steadily grown to include an animal area featuring sheep, ponies and cows, together with a tea room, pedal go-karts and bee-keeping exhibitions.

In recent times, the Boltons have been fighting a losing battle to keep "brown tourist signs" pointing the way to the centre on the A358 between Taunton and Minehead in a bid to catch more passing trade.

Simon Bolton said the lack of signs, coupled with this summer's downpours, had signalled the end of the centre.

He has now found work on a pig farm while the animals at the centre are being found new homes. Much of the centre's equipment will be sold at a special sale on November 25.