A NORMAL day at Barry Island saw thousands of day-trippers flock to the resort to take advantage of the dry weather.

With Barry’s regeneration ongoing and the influx of more rides and attractions on the Barry Island Pleasure Park site the resort’s reputation has further spread bringing more people to enjoy the sea and sand at Whitmore Bay together with the cafes, shops, arcades and climbing wall.

A planned rail strike was called off last week meaning that both Arriva Trains Wales, as well as Cardiff Bus, were able to offer a normal Sunday service ferrying in those not using their own modes of transport.

No problems were reported at any of Barry Island’s car parks or on The Ship public house roundabout, near the Harbour Road causeway – where road works had been halted.

Barry Island cafe owner Marco Zeraschi said Barry Island had not experienced a booming bank holiday, but visitor numbers were just becoming great every day.

He said: “We are all pulling together – the police, the traders. It’s just getting better and better and Henry Danter has done a lot. Everybody has benefitted from the fairground.”

Craig O’Shea, owner of O’Shea’s cafe and takeaway, said trade in his shop had been “booming”.

“Trade has been normal,” he said. “But more people are coming to Barry Island and everything has gone smoothly.

“Every weekend is like a bank holiday.”

A BBC team also spent the day filming segments for The One Show broadcast on Tuesday featuring Welsh newsreader Huw Edwards and pop star Ricky Martin.

The crew said people had been really nice and traders helpful.