BUCKETS of fun are to had at the Octagon Theatre when it transforms itself into a famous Blackpool attraction.

For the first time the theatre will be bringing the seaside to the town centre with the creation of its very own Pleasure Beach.

Over the August bank holiday weekend, to coincide with the Bolton Food and Drink Festival, the main auditorium will be turned into a fun-filled, family-friendly seaside Pleasure Beach.

From donkeys to sand dunes, the beach will be free to visit by people of all ages.

The auditorium floor will become a sandy beach, with running water flowing around the outside. Here visitors will be able to send a message in a bottle around the auditorium. To ensure that everyone can take part in the event, there will also be a pathway through the sand.

Artistic director Elizabeth Newman said: "We want this summer to be spectacular, no matter what the weather is like, so we have decided to bring the seaside to Bolton!

"Our main auditorium will become a colourful, vibrant, and fun-filled space with exciting activities and plenty of sand! We can’t wait to welcome people from Bolton and beyond to our very first Pleasure Beach."

From 11am to 4pm, visitors to the Octagon Theatre’s first-ever Pleasure Beach weekend will be able to feel the sand between their toes, meet some donkeys, and indulge in ice cream — whatever the weather.

There will also be hourly dance parties, coconut shy, face-painting, henna, sand castle building, and Fairy Tales on Foot which will take place in the main auditorium and across Bolton Town Centre.

Leader of Bolton Council, Cllr Cliff Morris, added: "There’s guaranteed to be lots of fun in store for all the family at this year’s festival. It’s great that the Octagon Theatre are on board again this year.

"They are a key partner and their activity really adds another family-friendly element to the weekend, together with the Mad Science Zone on Le Mans Crescent."

For more information about the town centre August bank holiday events visit www.boltonfoodanddrinkfestival.com.