Arguably the most iconic British amusement attraction is Blackpool’s Big Dipper on the Pleasure Beach - and it is 100 years old today.

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The ride, one of the oldest coasters in the world, was built in 1923 at a cost of £25,000 and was subsequently extended and rebuilt 11 years later.

It is a "woody", as coaster afficionados call it, a wooden roller coaster, stretching to 3,295 feet and achieving speeds of 56kph in a three-minute experience. The ride was designated as a Grade II listed building in 2017. It survived a major fire in 1975.

The Pleasure Beach is holding an exclusive birthday party for the ride today, after the park closes, with guests receiving a commemorative birthday party ticket, certificate and voucher for a free glass of prosecco and cupcake.

Amanda Thompson OBE, CEO of the Pleasure Beach, said in the Blackpool Gazette: “Although this coaster may be a veteran among the park, it’s a truly enjoyable ride and we hope that its recent ‘glow-up’ will reinstate its position as a grand wooden coaster that is rich with history and a century full of memories and laughs.

“A coaster as monumental as our Big Dipper deserves nothing less than the glamorous party we intend on throwing and we want everyone else to celebrate with us. It is set to be an evening filled with fun.”