After eight long years, Blackpool Tower unveiled in all its glory

Blackpool Tower stands resplendent once more over the town after the final piece of scaffolding was removed from the structure.
BLACKPOOL  01-04-16 The iconic Blackpool Tower stands proud as scaffolding has finally been removed from the outside of the tower after renovation work is now complete.BLACKPOOL  01-04-16 The iconic Blackpool Tower stands proud as scaffolding has finally been removed from the outside of the tower after renovation work is now complete.
BLACKPOOL 01-04-16 The iconic Blackpool Tower stands proud as scaffolding has finally been removed from the outside of the tower after renovation work is now complete.

The eight-year £6m project to repair and repaint the 518ft landmark has meant a cradle of scaffold has been wrapped around the Tower since work began in 2008.

Since then the attraction has changed hands - with the council buying it from Leisure Parcs in 2010 and appointing Merlin Entertainments as the operator.

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Today Kate Shane, head of the Blackpool Cluster of Merlin attractions, said the work had preserved the Tower for future generations.

BLACKPOOL  01-04-16
The iconic Blackpool Tower stands proud as scaffolding has finally been removed from the outside of the tower after renovation work is now complete.BLACKPOOL  01-04-16
The iconic Blackpool Tower stands proud as scaffolding has finally been removed from the outside of the tower after renovation work is now complete.
BLACKPOOL 01-04-16 The iconic Blackpool Tower stands proud as scaffolding has finally been removed from the outside of the tower after renovation work is now complete.

She said: “To look at the Tower standing in all her resplendent glory for everyone to see without any scaffolding was a really emotional moment for me.

“It has been a long time and involved a lot of work but it has been a real achievement.

“It means everyone can now get their photo shot of the Tower without the scaffolding and that will be lovely to see.

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“But just as important, it is an investment in the future and has protected one of Britain’s most famous and iconic structures, as well as preserving it for future generations.”

BLACKPOOL  01-04-16
The iconic Blackpool Tower stands proud as scaffolding has finally been removed from the outside of the tower after renovation work is now complete.BLACKPOOL  01-04-16
The iconic Blackpool Tower stands proud as scaffolding has finally been removed from the outside of the tower after renovation work is now complete.
BLACKPOOL 01-04-16 The iconic Blackpool Tower stands proud as scaffolding has finally been removed from the outside of the tower after renovation work is now complete.

The Tower’s paint has been stripped off and rusted metal underneath removed using high-pressure water jets.

Metalwork has been replaced throughout the Tower, and the 122-year-old structure has been repainted in its own shade of red.

The project began under the Tower’s previous ownership and continued when Blackpool Council bought the building, with funding coming from the pot the used to buy both the Tower and the Winter Gardens.

An additional £1.8m loan was taken out by the council last summer, to be paid back from the Tower’s own income, when work was discovered which needed extra attention.