AS preparations take shape for 2019 at Lochore Meadows Country Park, the stats which have just become available, show a record year for Fife's star attraction in 2018.

Park manager Ian Laing was quick to admit that the stunning summer weather played its part in the good news Meedies story, but he also felt that the facilities available are becoming recognised Scotland wide and well beyond that.

And there are exciting plans which will see the former pit waste area become even more attractive to visitors over the next two years.

The statistics, which became available last week, showed that May, June, July and August were the busiest months at the park with 91,909 cars entering the park over these four months. Added to that can be hundreds of coaches and thousands of pedestrians going to the park and the total for these months is well over 350,000 people.

The busiest days overall for the park were Benarty Gala and the Benarty Pipe Band competition in June, which saw 1,789 and 1,597 vehicles arrive at the park respectively; then in July Bark in the Park, with 1,724 vehicles arriving and Rockore in August which saw 1,686 arrive.

The total number of people that visited the park in 2018 was given at 835,994, a significant rise on the figures for 2016 which stood at 657,852.

Even in the winter months 7,889 vehicles visited in January and that climbed to 9,717 in February, and in November the figure stood at 8,933 and last month, 7,603.

Park boss Ian Laing was delighted with the returns and he reported that all the successful events of last year are returning in 2019.

Plus there are a few new events set to hit the Meedies so the park staff are looking forward to another busy year.

2018 opened with the new Willie Clarke Park Centre in action for the first time and it set the scene for what turned out to be the best ever year for the park since it opened in the mid 1970s, after the bings of Benarty gave way to rolling countryside.

Said Ian: "Getting the new park centre open was a great way to start the year then the fantastic weather of May, June, July and August played its part in the number of visitors coming to the Meadows.

"There were some excellent new events which arrived including the Park Run, which sees up to 200 people coming along every Saturday of the year to do their 5k run, plus motor homes groups holding rallies has been another interesting addition.

"The Benarty Gala Day in 2018 was a huge occasion and it was blessed with a superb day as was the pipe band competition, while the popular Bark in the Park event, while it had to be postponed due to a bad Sunday, went on the next week in superb weather and there was another massive turn out of dog enthusiasts.

"Rockore was another very big event and the weather was good for it as well and overall we could not have asked for more from 2018."

Looking ahead he added: "We have not lost any events and one or two new ones are set to come to us.

"A very interesting one is a food festival which is set to take place in June with more than 30 stalls so it is set to be a good visitor attraction.

"There are also varied events such as the Cancer Research Twilight Walk in February, a Bouncy Castle day on March 31 and in June a Triathlon day.

"We are also aiming to work with the staff at the nearby Fife Cycle Park to perhaps give people using the facility an opportunity to try whatever part of the park they might want to get involved with to complete their day.

"There is a big cycling event the weekend of 10/11th August and in October the Lochore 10k is being organised by Edinburgh Running Club."

When you add the moves to bring mining heritage equipment to the park there is something for everyone there.

On new facilities coming to the park the biggest feature could be a new play park for children which will be linked to the highly successful Deck Drive project which saw £10,000 raised to purchase the machine which can give children with special needs complete access to the park.

A special sub group are currently looking at a huge upgrade to the current children's playpark.

Said Ian: "The plan is to have a playpark which will be suitable for all children to enjoy and to achieve this the sub group is to get advice from the people involved in the Play for All playpark at Pittencrieff Park, in Dunfermline, which is one of the most advanced of its type in the country.

"It will mean investment of £250,000 and there are also plans to create a sensory garden at the pond near the Willie Clarke Centre.

"These moves, along with the Deck Drive, means the park is to become even more available to everyone to enjoy."

So as 2019 moves along this is looking at being another bumper year for the Meedies.