WILLITON is hoping to team up with the West Somerset Railway in a bid to give local businesses a boost and help the area's tourism prospects.

Parish councillors are behind plans to run a photographic competition that would see the entries displayed in the village over the heritage line's autumn steam gala weekend at the end of September.

The aim is to encourage more visitors into Williton and give local traders the chance to benefit from some of the thousands of people who flock to the WSR galas every year

The joint initiative is the idea of Cllr David Chadwick who told a monthly meeting of the parish council on Monday that many railway enthusiasts took photographs along the line between Minehead and Bishops Lydeard.

But he said, despite Williton having a railway station, few visitors got off the train and walked into the village.

"I wanted to find a way of making them do that and I think this event would help Williton's tourism prospects and hopefully its businesses as well."

The council is hoping to secure the West Somerset Council chamber as a venue for its exhibition of snaps and attract celebrity judges for a range of different photographic categories.

Cllr Chadwick said it was also hoped to set up marquees near the exhibition venue where local outlets with a railway connection, such as Williton's Bakelite Museum, could have a stand and where railway memorabilia could be displayed, along with a range of other attractions.

He said he had lined up a printing company as a potential sponsor, who could turn the winning snaps into posters and possibly offer mini training workshops on the process.

"I have been in touch with the WSR and they are keen on the idea," said Cllr Chadwick.

"We could send information on it to specialist steam and photography magazines and the railway could help publicise it as well."

Cllr Chadwick said, if approval could be secured to have the council chamber as a focal point, the initiative would need to be publicised as soon as possible.

And he said, if it was successful, it could become an annual event.

Councillors pledged their support for the idea and also agreed an appeal for helpers should be launched once Cllr Chadwick had produced a working document on what needed to be done to get it off the ground.

Cllr Ian Aldridge described the scheme as excellent: "It's brilliant and the best thing I have seen for a long time," he said.

And council chairman Cllr Rosemary Woods said: "I think it is a very good way forward to promote the village."