A familiar face will make the journey to London next week as part of a national initiative to promote rail travel to the region.

Reggie the Lion, mascot for Africa Alive! wildlife park near Lowestoft, will be joining members from the East Suffolk Lines Community Rail Partnership (CRP) at a special national event at London's Liverpool Street Station.

Each year Community Rail In The City allows Community Rail Partnerships across the UK the opportunity to promote their local area at mainline stations and with this year being the turn of the East Suffolk Lines CRP to host the London event, the focus will be on promoting tourism to the area including the counties seaside and market towns, major events and tourist attractions that can all be reached by rail.

Reggie called in at Lowestoft Station earlier today (Tuesday) to assist with preparations and to promote the special year round Plus Bus link that provides rail passengers with discounted return bus fares connecting Lowestoft Station with his home at Africa Alive! in Kessingland.

With the East Suffolk Lines serving routes from Ipswich to both Lowestoft and Felixstowe, a special guide featuring destinations along the lines will be distributed in London after a successful event last year which saw more than 15,000 given away in just one day.

Community Rail Partnerships in Norfolk have also been invited to the event to promote activities along the Bittern and Wherry Lines.

A spokesman for the East Suffolk Lines CRP said: 'We are delighted that Reggie and his colleagues from Africa Alive! will be joining us in London as we promote some of our areas' best attractions and tourist destinations.

'Around 200,000 people pass through Liverpool Street Station every day providing a great opportunity to showcase East Suffolk and visiting by rail.

'We are particularly grateful to Greater Anglia and Network Rail for their support in the organising of our event.'