Plan to 'give new life' to Blackpool Tower

Blackpool is the nation's favourite seaside town, according to Which?

Dungeons and a new waxworks attraction are part of a plan to renovate Blackpool Tower and surrounding areas.

The historic tower was bought by the town council in March along with the Winter Gardens, the Golden Mile Centre and Louis Tussauds buildings.

Merlin Entertainments, the firm behind Alton Towers, will run the resort from November.

Council leader Peter Callow said it would "breathe new life" into the landmark.

Merlin announced that the area's "most loved attractions" would be restored, along with proposals to transform the local Louis Tussauds waxworks into the only Madame Tussauds outside of London.

The outline planning application includes proposals to create a new dungeons attraction which will take visitors back to the days of the Pendle witch trials and Oliver Cromwell.

Mr Callow said: "Bringing the Tower into public ownership is already paying off and I'm delighted to see Merlin's plans.

"This council wants people to think of Blackpool as a family friendly resort and these new attractions are bound to attract new visitors.

Money from the North West Development Fund and the Homes and Communities Agency have helped the council buy the attractions and secure their future.

Blackpool was recently voted the nation's favourite seaside town in a recent survey of more than 4,000 people by the consumer organisation Which?