BLACKPOOL becomes a children's paradise for the next six weeks as KidzMegafest '99 kicks into action this weekend.

On Saturday (July 17) Sooty the TV bear - who originated in Blackpool - celebrates his 51st birthday with a party in Birley Street from noon to 2pm.

Sunday (July 18) sees the start of Cyril the Squirrel's Sports Days at the Stakis Hotel on North Promenade, with wacky races from 2pm-6pm at the hotel's adventure playground and a children's disco in the Metro nightclub from 6-8pm.

Cyril, the Stakis group's mascot, will be there himself - and the free sports days will be held every Sunday until August 8. Hundreds of youngsters with pom-poms and batons will be displaying their marching skills in a giant Lancashire morris dancing festival on Sunday from 10.30am-6pm on Princess Parade, next to North Pier.

Next Wednesday (July 21) youngsters can grab their jam jars and magnifying glasses for a mini-beast safari - looking for butterflies and creepy-crawlies - at Marton Mere Nature Reserve. The event, from 2pm-4pm, is free and is the first of a series of children's activities each Wednesday at the same time, starting from the information centre, Lawson Road.

The following Saturday (July 24), Firestorm - a fire brigade parachute display team - will blaze a sky-trail into Blackpool, over Central Beach at 2.50pm.

Other events include space-theme days at local libraries throughout the town, as well as the summer's traditional galas and shows throughout the long school holidays.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.