DON'T touch unless you're serious! The famous African fertility statues are in Blackpool again.

And since their last visit to the Fylde Coast five years ago, the patter of tiny feet and lots of little paws have followed in their footsteps.

Thirty-one-year-old Beverley McDonald had been taking the contraceptive pill for two and a half years when she touched the five foot high, hand-carved female statue, for a dare.

Three months later she was pregnant with son, Keane, now four.

Beverley and partner, Paul, 26, from Stockport, already had a daughter Jade, now seven, but at the time were living with Beverley's parents while they saved up to get their own place.

"I was on the Pill and it wasn't the right time to get pregnant," explains Beverley.

And when Beverley came back to Blackpool for a photocall with the statues on Wednesday (Aug 14), she wore gloves.

"Of course, we love Keane to bits but there's no way I'm touching that statue again," laughs Beverley.

Five years ago, after six IVF treatments and still no baby, Lynne Atkinson was at the point of despair.

Lynne, 36, from Preston, and husband Trevor, 40, spent around £2,500 in their efforts to conceive a brother or sister for daughter, Laura, now 13.

"I couldn't believe it when I realised I was pregnant only a month after touching the statue," says Lynne.

"Our daughter Lois is now four, but Trevor has since had 'the snip' so I wouldn't be scared of touching the statue again," she says.

The ebony king and queen from Africa's Ivory Coast were brought from Seattle to Ripley's Believe It Or Not odditorium, on Ocean Boulevard, Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Tribal legend says that a touch to either of the statues, which weigh 70lb each, will assure fertility.

As part of a world tour, they will be in town until November 3 for all to see and touch for free until November 3.

And apparently, they even work on animals. After she pawed the potent pair on their last visit, Blackpool Pleasure Beach's own Mystique doggy star, St Bernard, Schnorbitz, felt the fertility powers and was blessed with a litter of puppies.