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May 7, Blackpool International Airport sold

Blackpool International Airport has been sold to Balfour Beatty. The international construction and investment group has purchased 95% of the regional airport from Mar Properties, a Northern-Ireland based property developer.

The sale is subject to the approval of Blackpool Borough Council, a minority shareholder. The council support the deal and are expected to give the go ahead later this week.

Balfour Beatty Chief Executive, Ian Tyler, said ‘Blackpool International is a well-located airport with the potential to become a thriving international gateway to Lancashire and Cumbria. We will work together with the airlines and our local partners to help increase its penetration within this core catchment area and to play its part in attracting inbound visitors to the region. We believe that our approach will deliver significant, sustained growth in passenger traffic at the airport and will generate important economic benefits for it and for Blackpool. Our aim is to develop Blackpool to be the airport of choice for residents, businesses and visitors of Lancashire and Cumbria.’

May 6, Cycling anniversary celebrations in Morecambe

Lancaster City Council is to celebrate 12 months of cycling on the Morecambe’s Promenade with a party on Sunday May 11. It was only one year ago that ancient byelaws banning cycling in the area were lifted.

The celebrations will run from 11 am to 3.30 pm and will include a cycle stunt show, cycling demonstrations, police postcoding, and children’s entertainment.

May 6, Bassenthwaite ospreys relocate to new nest

The Lake District’s famous ospreys have settled in a new nest on the eastern side of Bassenthwaite Lake after spending 7 breeding seasons on the opposite site at a nest in Wythop Woods.

Despite the move, the existing viewpoint at Dodd Wood remains open and gives visitors the change to see the ospreys fishing in the lake and watch woodland birds. The Lake District Osprey Team is hoping to set up a new viewpoint near the new nest.

Graeme Prest of the Lake District Osprey Project said, ‘Over the years we have learnt to ‘expect the unexpected’ when it comes to our ospreys and clearly this year it's going to be no different, with yet another twist to the tale. However, it's great news that it looks like it's going to be business as usual for our ospreys but just at a different nest and it does mean that we’ll need to alter our osprey viewing arrangements for visitors slightly.’

Apr 30, Memorial to Fred Dibnah unveiled

A statue to legendary Bolton steeplejack Fred Dibnah was unveiled in his home town yesterday. The 8 ft tall bronze sculpture, by Jane Robins, stands on Oxford Street next to a working steam engine he loved to visit.

Dibnah shot to fame in the late 1970s after featuring in a BBC documentary Fred Dibhah: Steeplejack. The eccentric character went onto present and feature in a number of TV shows, mainly about the Industrial Revolution.

Fred Dibnah died of cancer in November 2004, aged 66. Yesterday would have been his 70th birthday.