TOURISM bosses have challenged TV star Richard Bacon to discover Morecambe's good points after he mocked the resort in front of millions of viewers.

Former Blue Peter host Bacon -- sacked from the kiddies' favourite for snorting cocaine -- visited the town last week for Channel Four's 'Big Breakfast'.

He mocked the Eric Morecambe statue and struggled to find a single redeeming feature.

He told viewers: "I can honestly say that Morecambe is the worst resort I have ever visited. I hate it."

He also pointed out negative messages in the council's tourist information visitor's book -- only weeks after tourism chief Ron Sands said the centre had enjoyed a 'record year'.

Mr Sands compared the attack to similar negative comments made by American travel writer Bill Bryson.

He said: "I'd be delighted to invite Richard Bacon back and try to draw his attention to some very positive features of our seaside resort.

"But, until he is working for a different kind of programme I guess that is unlikely to happen.

"Only a week ago, someone who really counts, the Tourism Minister Janet Anderson said Morecambe was a model for other seaside resorts to copy.

"People involved in the rapidly changing leisure industry are not going to be attracted not by negative comments but by the sound business sense of investing in a regenerated resort."