PLANS to open a motorbike museum in Rossendale have been announced by the owner of a popular megastore.

Bosses at Winfields in Haslingden are branching out from their outdoor equipment expertise to antique motorcycles.

Plans for a total transformation of the firm’s Britannia Mill site – in order to display 250 historic bikes – have been submitted to Rossendale Borough Council.

The development would see the museum take over 854 square metres of the mill, as well as 307 square metres of workshop space.

Dale Winfield, who owns the store, said: “We have been collecting bikes for many years and display around 40 of them at the Haslingden site.

“We have so many now however, that we feel they should be on public display.

“Men, women and children in the borough really enjoy looking at antique bikes, so it makes sense to get an exhibition up and running.”

County Coun Peter Steen, the council’s tourism champion, is fully behind the idea.

He said: “It’s absolutely fantastic news and it’s exactly where Rossendale needs to be going. It will be a great tourist attraction and anything I can do to help the development I will do for Winfields.

“A project like this is unique, original and has my full backing.”

The site, near the company’s headquarters in Albert Mill, Haslingden, is currently used for storage space.

Mr Winfield hopes to use part of the museum to maintain and store the antique bikes on premises.

He added: “If anyone has parts to antique bikes or bikes in their entirety which are historical, and available for donation, we would be very interested in taking a look at them.”

To contact Winfields store call 01706 831952.