LIVE entertainment, information on council services and a free cup of tea are all on offer for Blackpool residents at the Winter Gardens on Saturday.

Blackpool Borough Council is rolling out the red carpet for its first ever open day, 'Changing Times.'

The open day will feature 12 interactive zones, with information on the full range of council services, including the masterplan.

Council leader, Cllr Roy Fisher, said: "We are rolling out the red carpet because that's the way we think about our residents, they're all VIPs and just to prove it we'll give everyone a free cup of tea on the day.

"We hope people will take advantage of this event and feel it's a good opportunity to ask the council questions they've always wanted to ask, to tell us what we're doing right and let us know where we're going wrong. We also hope they'll have some fun and that it'll be a good day out for the whole family.

"Hopefully the open day will help Blackpool citizens to gain a better understanding of the breadth of the Council's responsibilities.

"We realise that some people are confused by the various different council departments and who does what.

"We hope that this open day will be of help and that lots of people come down to enjoy the activities on offer while discovering useful information.

"It's an excellent opportunity for Blackpool residents to provide us with useful feedback whether its good or bad -- we want to hear it."

During the event, which runs from 10am to 5pm, there will be entertainment on stage, including the Park School brass band, Poco Loco samba band, Indian dancing and a step class.

An internet cafe will be set up, allowing people to surf the net for free.

Visitors travelling to the Open Day by car can park free in Talbot Road car park sections 3a and 3b. Those travelling to the event by bus can present their bus ticket (a single into town) and receive a voucher allowing them to return home for free.