A Grand Day out for fans

Deputy MD Nick Thompson, MD Amanda Thompson and Aardman creator Nick Park outside the A35 van at Thrill-O-Matic ride

The £5.25 million is the culmination of a two year collaboration between the team at Aardman Animation and Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

Wallace and Gromit fans can ride in a giant slipper through scenes from A Grand Day Out, The Wrong Trousers, A Close Shave, A Matter of Loaf and Death and The Curse of the Were Rabbit.

And the four minute plus ride also features minute and clever details such as a holiday brochure to the moon and special effects to bring Wallace’s contraptions to life.

Managing Director of Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Amanda Thompson OBE, said: “Thrill-O-Matic is a fantastic ride that we know the family will love.

“Wallace and Gromit have a special place in the heart of lots of people so we thought it would be an ideal fit to have their first ride here at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. We are very proud of the ride and we know that families will want to ride it again and again to see all their favourite characters.”

Nick Park said: “We have the perfect marriage between Wallace and Gromit and Blackpool Pleasure Beach. I grew up in Preston, which is just down the road so Blackpool feels like a natural home for Wallace and Gromit.

“It has been a great experience working with the Thompson family to create this family ride that sits right in the heart of the park, I really hope that our fans enjoy the Thrill-O-Matic as much as we have enjoyed creating it.”

And visitors can also enjoy the UK’s only dedicated Wallace and Gromit shop, with treats from modeling kits to cheese-flavoured rock.