The new boss of Oakwood Theme Park says she is delighted to be taking charge at the ‘most exciting’ time in the park’s history since it opened.

Clare Stansfield, the Pembrokeshire attraction’s current head of marketing, has been appointed interim park director.

It’s the first time a woman has taken charge of the park and Clare says she is relishing the challenge.

“I am delighted to have been given this exciting opportunity,” she said.

“In the last two years, we have invested well in excess of £5m in a series of new attractions and rides here at the park, and last week, we were also able to announce plans for our £2m Legend of Sleepy Hollow multi-attraction feature which will open next year.

“This is the most dynamic and successful period in the park’s history since it opened and I am really looking forward to working with a great team of people to continue to grow and develop the business over the coming years.”

Clare grew up on the Wirral, Merseyside and has a degree in geography from the University of Leeds. She moved to Tenby in 2012 and has a two-year-old son.

She spent three years working in export, sales and marketing for a manufacturer of non-woven products, then had six years with Survitec Group - a global leader in marine, defence and aerospace survival technology - as their business development manager.

Oakwood enjoyed its busiest season in more than a decade last year following the opening of the £4.5m Peter Pan-themed Neverland.

As a result visitor numbers were 40 per cent up on the previous year.