LAST seen, according to legend 11,000 years ago, the lost city of Atlantic is resurfacing again - on the Blackpool seafront.

Work will soon be under way on a dramatic reconstruction of part of fabled Atlantis in a £500,000 development at Blackpool SeaLife Centre.

The new investment, jointly funded by Leisure Parcs and the Merlin Entertainments Group, means visitors can begin their voyage of discovery the moment they cross the threshold, reaching the displays via a network of sub-marine caverns.

Visitors will also find themselves in a Roman style ampitheatre, surrounded by stone columns, with some of the theming extending beyond the massive gallery window of the ocean tank, into a watery realm patrolled by tropical sharks and giant groupers.

And the tragic tale of Atlantis' destruction will be relayed by a talking statue of Greek philosopher Plato, whose face is brought alive by high tech projection.

Visitors who take the plunge will reach an unnerving climax when the arena is shaken by a rumbling after-shock from the mighty earthquake which first condemned the city of Atlantis to its watery grave.

Centre manager, Della Belk, says: "The new ampitheatre will feature stunning murals giving visitors an idea of what Atlantis may have looked like.

"This new attraction will make an exploration of the marine world at Blackpool's SeaLife Centre even more exciting than ever and we are confident it will boost both new and repeat visits."

Both the entrance redevelopment and lost city of Atlantis are set for completion at the end of April, with the official launch just before the May school holidays.

The SeaLife Centre is also to benefit from a new £50,000 exhibition by the Environment Agency. Complete with CD-Rom and other interactive features, the exhibition, opening at Easter, aims to promote the agency's policing and protection activities.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.