THE Eden Project made a cash surplus from trading of more than £1.6 million in the last financial year - and welcomed more than a million visitors in a calendar year for the first time since 2011.

Turnover and visitor numbers also increased significantly during the period.

Annual accounts for 2016/17 show the trading cash surplus of £1,653,000 was down on the previous year’s figure of £1,823,000. However, it is the fourth successive year that Eden has recorded a significant profit.

During the year Eden says big investments were made in its staff and in the maintenance of its site.

There have been increased costs meeting and exceeding the National Living Wage requirements by applying the wage to employees from age 21 rather than the mandatory 25.

Turnover increased for the financial year by more than £1.8 million.

During 2016, four per cent more people than the previous year visited Eden and numbers in December were the best ever for that month. For the first time since 2011, Eden welcomed more than one million visitors in a 12-month period.

There was continued growth in numbers for Eden degree programmes, with 100 students now studying on-site, in partnership with Cornwall College and Plymouth University.

Nearly 50,000 children visited the Cornwall site with their schools and the year also saw the launch of Little Eden, an outdoor club for under-fives.

Peter Wroe, finance director of the Eden Project, said: ‘It has been another encouraging year, with good results in terms of our trading surplus, turnover and visitor numbers, all of which have helped us make significant investments in the team and our site.’