MANAGERIAL changes at a leading Devon tourist attraction have been announced as its founder prepares to move to Australia.

Two directors of the family-owned Crealy Great Adventure Parks, Angela and David Wright, are retiring from the operational side of the business and moving to Melbourne with their younger children Ed, 16, Tim, 14, and Amy, 11.

Son James, 22, also plans to move to Australia next year, while eldest son Sam, 24, will stay in Devon with his family and business, Evado Media.

The first Crealy Great Adventure Park opened at Clyst St Mary in 1989, followed six years ago by a site in Cornwall.

Angela founded it with the aim of re-creating her country childhood at the birthplace of Sir Walter Raleigh in East Devon, and received an MBE for services to tourism in 2004.

Her brother Chris Down, one of the owners who has worked in the business since its inception, will change roles from finance director to chief executive. while Angela and David will continue as directors.

Rod Pearson has been appointed managing director designate to succeed Angela when she leaves in September. He will work with the family owners to lead Crealy during the next stage in its development.

In the South West the award-winning parks are now second in visitor numbers only to the publicly-funded Eden Project.

Angela is confident the business will continue to flourish, following a £1.6 million investment in new attractions and visitor numbers up 19 per cent so far this summer.

Annual pass sales to local families have also increased by more than 150 per cent.

"The parks will continue as they are now known and loved, and it will continue to be a family business," she said.

"We have a great team in place. Rod is a highly experienced, dynamic professional who shares our vision and values. He comes from running multiple leisure activities in Singapore and was keen to return to his roots in the UK leisure industry.

"A long handover period this summer ensures that he is fully embedded before we set off Down Under."

The couple said it had been a tough decision to leave Devon and day-to-day involvement with Crealy, though they will make regular visits home.

David said: "We love Crealy, everyone working here, our visitors, and the South West, so this has been a hard decision.

"Both Cornwall's Crealy and Devon's Crealy have very strong, united teams who, with the family and Rod Pearson combine to make it possible for us to embark on this big family adventure."

Rod said: "I very much look forward to meeting everyone else involved in the success of the business. Together we will continue to build on the firm foundations of these much-loved parks."

Angela, a director of Visit Devon and vice-chair of the East Devon Business Forum, believes the region's tourism sector is in good shape as she departs for pastures new.

"The board of Visit Devon is outstanding and there's such a great offer in Devon and Cornwall in terms of quality, diversity and distinctiveness," she said.