New Â£16.25m Icon for Pleasure Beach is "the greatest"

Artist's impressions showcase Icon swooping round the Steeplechase ride

Today's the day a new Icon will launch its way into Blackpool's history, as the first guests experience the Pleasure Beach's new Â£16.25million ride.

The Icon rollercoaster - the UK’s first double launch coaster - will open for just an hour a day until Tuesday, allowing thrillseekers to get their fix before the ride opens to the general public on Friday.

Staff were treated to rides on Thursday and Friday evenings.

Today’s VIP package thrillseekers will mark the end of more than 100,000 hours of construction work and five years of planning between the South Shore attraction and the ride’s German design and manufacturering firm Mack

Throwback to the construction of Icon at Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Ahead of today’s rides and next Friday’s official opening, Pleasure Beach managing director Amanda Thompson said: “We’ve seen some great changes at our park over the years, but Icon is the greatest yet.

“Icon really is the most stunningly stylish rollercoaster I’ve ever seen, and after years of planning and construction, the opening is finally upon us.

“I just cannot wait for the public to experience it and ride this incredible rollercoaster for themselves.”

Icon has been hailed as the world’s most interactive rollercoaster, as its 1.14-kilometre track weaves and loops through, under and around 15 other rides including an 80-kilometres an hour launch through the main climb of the Big One - showcasing acceleration as fast as a Formula 1 car.

Amanda and Nick Thompson sign the final piece of Icon as it was put into place back in February

Around the ride, five red steel pillars can be seen - each marked with the names of the Thompson and Mack families, who’ve created the ride.

A limited number of VIP boarding cards are still available from www.blackpool pleasurebeach.com/icon,

* Follow The Gazette social media on Wednesday when we try out the ride.