BLACKPOOL'S famous Vulcan bomber could end up in pieces as its new owner ponders how to remove it from its current home.

New owner, pub landlord Chris Ollerenshaw from Dukinfield, Greater Manchester, is faced with a bill of up to £20,000 to move the fragile war plane, sold off on internet auction site, eBay, last year.

Mr Ollerenshaw is faced with a £1,000 per week rent bill from the Blackpool Aviation Centre, where the plane is situated, and also needs to secure planning permission to locate the plane at his pub, The Snipe Inn.

But his most immediate concern is the state of the plane.

"I went to see it and could put my finger through the panels," said Mr Ollerenshaw: "It's not in a good condition.

"It gets blasted by sand in bad weather and salt water in good weather, and it's been there for 20 years. I've got three options; scrap it, salvage parts of it or take the risk and take it apart.

"I think I will just end up with parts of it, probably the front end, seats and engine."

But despite the concerns Mr Ollerenshaw has no regrets about paying £15,102.03 for the plane in the internet auction.

"Despite all this I still don't think it was a bad idea to buy it," he added: "People thought it was a cracking idea at first."

The Vulcan Bomber has been a Blackpool landmark since first moving to the resort 21 years ago, and its former owners at the aviation centre sold it to make way for future expansion at the airport.

The Cold War aircraft, immediately designed as a nuclear bomber, last saw service on Ascension Island during the Falklands War.