Sandy Balls Holiday Centre is continuing its drive to keep the New Forest green with an investment of more than £60,000 in a fleet of battery-powered environmentally-friendly vehicles.

Five Piaggio Porter vans will join two other vans and a golf buggy-style vehicle, extending the fleet to eight pollution-free vehicles. The centre also has an off-site car which is fuelled by liquefied petroleum gas.

The Italian-produced vans will replace current petrol models and have a top speed of 40km/h and a range of 50 miles before they need recharging.

With three rear doors for easy access and a payload of 635kg each, they will be used for grounds and maintenance work around the 120-acre holiday centre which offers luxury lodges and static caravan accommodation, as well as pitches for tents and touring caravans.

Andrew Howe, managing director of the centre, said: "People come to stay in the New Forest because of the natural beauty of the area. We believe that there's no reason why that beauty should stop at the gates of the centre. It is in the interests of us, our guests and future generations to look after the environment - and we are determined to play our part in keeping the Forest green."

Operations director Vincent Stammers. said: "The stop-go nature of the uses these vehicles will be put to, combined with the limited distance they need to travel, makes the electric option very attractive. While the electric vans may cost half as much again as their petrol or diesel equivalents, they form an integral part of our mission to minimise the impact the centre makes on its natural environment."