A former Royal Navy officer who turned a bare field in Helston into an award-winning leisure park has been made an MBE in the New Year honours list.

Douglas Kingsford Hale, the man behind Flambards theme park, was rewarded for services to tourism - 25 years after he welcomed the first visitors to the Helston attraction, which started life as the Cornwall Aero Park.

He has spent many years promoting toruism in the county and in particular in the Falmouth and Helston area.

Mr Kingsford Hale told the Packet the award had come "right out of the blue".

"I was amazed. It was the last thing I expected. Obviously I am delighted - in a way not so much for myself, although it is clearly a great honour, but also because it is important for Helston and for Cornwall as a whole.

"People think of me as a tourist attraction, but a lot of my time is spent lobbying for Cornwall to try and make sure we get our fair share when it comes to tourism."

Mr Kingsford Hale, who first came to Culdrose in 1956, lived with his wife, Audrey, and two young sons in villages on The Lizard including, Mawgan, Cadgwith and Coverack.

A flying accident led to him leaving the RN but remained in Helston.

In June, 1976, he opened the Cornwall Aero Park - an aircraft museum, which over the years developed into the all-embracing tourist attraction that is Flambards today.

More than 10 million people have visited the attraction since it opened.

"It was a great gamble," said Mr Kingsford Hale. "We had moved to Mawgan and there was nothing for people to do. We saw a gap that needed to be filled, and it was an excuse to stay in Cornwall, where we had always felt at home.

"Over the last 25 years, it has become very much a way of life. It is a challenge, but one that we love. It is a marvellous indulgence."

A major employer in Helston, Flambards provides well over 100 jobs during the summer season and injects a sizeable amount of its income back into the local economy.

The park has won numerous awards, including two in 1999 when it was named Cornwall attraction of the year and was joint winner of the best theme park in Britain title.

Mr Kingsford Hale, who has held numerous other posts including chairman of the Marketing Cornwall group, put much of Flambards' success down to his staff.

"We have got a super team, and this award is a tribute to all of them. It is the team which keep the standards up and I am very proud of them."

Although now retired having handed over the reins of the park to his son James, he still plays an active part having retained the position of chairman.