Adventure Island Day of the Dragon event in pictures

Youngsters were delighted to meet the adorable baby dragons as well as a seven-foot tall creature named Ash as the event kicked off on Saturday.

Crew - Staff at Adventure Island with Ash (Image: Adventure Island) No booking was required with families turning up to meet the mystic creatures for free, as part of the Western Esplanade theme park's efforts to raise funds for Southend Hospital.

James Miller, operations director at Adventure Island, said: “It was lovely to put on a free event for our loyal guests. Coupled with our £40 annual pass sale, people are looking for value right now and this is the place to get it. 

Exciting - Families watch Ash perform (Image: Adventure Island)

“It was a fun-filled day, the children and adults loved the dragons and it was all for a good cause - the Southend Hospital Charitable Foundation and their Spotlight Radiotherapy Appeal. Talking to CEO Philip Miller, he said he enjoyed watching the dragons with the smoke billowing out of their nostrils, he said it was reminiscent of his ex-wives.” 

Family favourites - Managing director Marc Miller (left) and CEO Philip Miller (second from right) with staff and the baby dragons (Image: Adventure Island)

Southend Hospital Charitable Foundation is raising vital funds to improve the delivery of radiotherapy treatment to patients undergoing cancer treatment in mid and south Essex.

The appeal aims to raise £600,000 to fund state-of-the-art, ultra-precise radiotherapy positioning devices which provide set-up and motion management during radiotherapy.

Scroll down to see more photos from the event

Not so scary - a child with one of the baby dragons (Image: Adventure Island) Huge - the dragon stood at 7ft tall (Image: Adventure Island) Heroes and villains - Ash with Captain Rageman (Image: Adventure Island) Fun - Youngsters with the baby dragon (Image: Adventure Island) Tall - a family with Ash the dragon (Image: Adventure Island)