EFFORTS to breathe new life into an historic Morecambe theatre pro-mise to take a leap forward with the change of a name.

The Friends of the Winter Gardens in Morecambe have voted to change their status to a trust in a bid to secure cash to help preserve the landmark building.

Barnfield Construction, the current owners, has said the Friends can have the building for £250,000 and now they are hoping to get a loan to cover the cost.

The Friends are applying to Companies House and the Charity Commission to become a Preservation Trust limited by guarantee.

"It is a great step for us and once we become a Preservation Trust, we will be able to get up to a 75 per cent loan from the Architectural Heritage to purchase the building," says Friends' chairman Evelyn Archer.

She says the group hopes to be the new owners by summer and then transform the grade-two listed, dilapidated theatre into a multi-purpose entertainment and arts centre, including a stage school.

"Now we have set off along the road of buying it we have got over the fear of owning it," admits Evelyn.

"I am overwhelmed that so many people have given help and support and we are confident we can rebuild the theatre. We are really excited.

"When we become the official owners we will defiantly celebrate, probably with one big party," she adds.

She says the campaign's profile was significantly raised after the Friends featured in the BBC's Bee in Your Bonnet programme recently, but she believes the floodgates of support will open when the sale goes through.

The Friends of the Winter Gardens are opening the theatre over the Easter weekend for the public to see inside.

The Friends' Easter raffle will be drawn within the theatre at 3pm on Sunday.