Blackpool Tower to go green for Lyme disease

The event has been arranged former champion swimmer Sophie Ward, who lost her Olympic career after contracting the debilitating disease.

Sophie, from Garstang was bitten by a tick during a visit to a Panda sanctuary during the Beijing Olympics.

She said: “I am so excited and thankful to Blackpool Council for their support as they have agreed to light up one of the UK’s favourite landmarks.

The Tower will be lit up from May 7 - 9 in a distinctive green colour which is the colour of the Lyme Disease UK (LDUK) charity.

A spokesman for LDUK said: “If you would like to be part of this occasion, please join other Lyme patients and members of the local community at the Comedy Carpet on May 7 at 8.30pm.”

Lyme disease a bacterial infection that can be spread to humans by infected ticks. Public Health England estimates that there are 3,000 new cases of Lyme disease per year.