SUPERSTITIOUS celeb Tara Palmer-Tomkinson snubbed Blackpool's most famous roller-coaster on her Friday the 13th visit to the resort.

In town to open the Pleasure Beach's new Big Blue Hotel, the 'I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here' star, making her first visit to the town, said she would love to give the Big One a go, but her superstition got the better of her.

"I will try it next time I visit," Tara told the Citizen at Friday's opening.

"The first time I heard about Blackpool was when I played a person from Blackpool in a play at school when I was ten," she added: "I remember having to talk about these fiddly little waves."

Tara's had every reason to fear this Friday 13. The day started badly when she arrived at Stanstead airport ready to make the short flight to Squires Gate,

But, after signing autographs for the cabin crew and handing out signed pictures to fellow passengers, Tara was told that she couldn't get on the flight because she didn't have a passport.

"The supervisor knew exactly who I was, having accomodated me up until then," said Tara: "I thought they were joking at first. I cannot believe that I couldn't board a flight within this country without my passport.

"I don't look like I come from Iraq."

But, things looked up when, after a six hour drive, Tara made it to the Pleasure Beach's new £5.1 million hotel, and the queen of the It girls was full of praise for the facilities.

"The hotel is really great," added Tara: "A good hotel should be comfortable, clean and spacious. I cannot believe the prices. For what it costs to stay here you couldn't even get room service in a hotel in London."

RYANAIR says Tara is the latest in a long line of celebrities to fall foul of its strict identification rules. UK sales manager, Kathryn Munro, said: "Our policy on ID is absolutely rigid because we are the UK's most security-conscious airline.

"We make absolutely no exceptions and it doesn't matter whether you are Jeremy Beadle, Tara Palmer Tompkinson or His Holiness the Pope: if you don't have the right ID, you won't get on our aircraft."

PLEASURE Beach chief, Geoffrey Thompson, hopes the new Big Blue hotel will be the first of several at the fun park.

Speaking at the hotel's official opening on Friday, Mr Thompson said he was keen to see three or four hotels around the Pleasure Beach.

The hotel represents an investment of £5.1 million and a completely new venture, and Mr Thompson believes it can be a blueprint for the future of the Pleasure Beach and the resort as a whole.

"We are bringing a new standard of comfort to our guests," he added: "After a day at the Pleasure beach, they need a solid night's rest."

THE chairman of Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Doris Thompson, made it a double celebration when news came through of her OBE. Mrs Thompson, 100 this year, has been an MBE for several years, but the OBE announcement coinicided with Friday's big hotel opening. Mrs Thompson was also granted the freedom of the borough of Blackpool this year.