BLACKPOOL is set for a bumper Easter weekend with tens of thousands of visitors expected to descend on the town.

And with guest houses booked up, shops stocked up and pubs promising to be packed, the town's traders are set to be very happy indeed.

Josie Hammond, company secretary of the Hotel and Guest Houses Association, said that many members were already fully booked.

"Over the last six weeks the bookings have been flooding in," she said.

"Easter being so late this year has helped as well because it's been such a long time since Christmas."

The town's top tourist attraction is expecting a bumper weekend according to Pleasure Beach press officer Sarah Dornford-May.

"We are hoping for a Big One, especially this year with the weather looking so promising," she added.

And spring is definitely in the air with a spokesman for the Met Office telling us there should be sunshine with scattered showers over the weekend and comfortable temperatures of around 12 degrees centigrade. And it's the weather forecast that's making some shop owners think their tills are going to be ringing this weekend.

Deputy manager of the Hounds Hill centre, Brian McConville hopes that the weather will give the tourists the best of both worlds.

"We always expect a busy weekend this time of year and we have got plenty of things planned for the shoppers with entertainment and a kiddies ride for example.

"The weather will hopefully be doing us a favour as the occasional shower usually brings people in out of the rain."

Lisa from Brannigans Fun Pub on the Promenade is definitely looking forward to a busy bar as they prepare for the regular Easter onslaught.

"It is one of the busiest weekend of the year for us and we've got plenty of entertainment planned.

"Not only do we get all the regular locals out but we also get mountains of holiday trade as well."

With shows like the Circus Ole at the Pleasure Beach's high-tech theatre The Globe, Freddie Starr at the Opera House, Chubby Brown on the North Pier and Les Liaisons Dangereuses at the Grand Theatre there's some to go to relax after a busy day shopping.