A Blackpool woman has launched a bid to save one of the few Art Deco buildings in the town.

Retired nurse Carol Carr is urging locals to step in and save the graceful curves of the 1930s Belle Vue garage on Whitegate Drive from demolition.

And she's also asking national building heritage group, The Twentieth Century Society, for help.

The distinctive blue and yellow garage went up for sale in December at 'offers over £675,000'. According to estate agent Bentley Higgs, there has already been interest from local buyers keen to redevelop the site.

But Art Deco lover Carol says to bulldoze the garage would be a loss, and she hopes a business angel or wealthy local might buy the dilapidated garage and save it from the bulldozers.

Carol, 51, said: "I was just looking in the estate agent's window, and I saw the garage. I didn't know it was up for sale. I thought I'd like to do something to save it. Blackpool's lost an awful lot of good buildings already."

She admitted the garage 'isn't in tip top condition', but added: "It might be too far gone to be saved, but you never know. Perhaps a car enthusiast might be interested in it. Or it would be great even if the garage was taken apart and rebuilt somewhere else."

Carol attributes her love of twenties and thirties style to the Art Deco furnishings she saw in relatives' homes as a child.

"There's something refreshing about it after all the Victorian, gloomy buildings," she said.

Carol also plans to contact The Twentieth Century Society, which exists to safeguard Britain's post-1914 architectural heritage.

Jonathan Clayton, partner at Bentley Higgs, said: "We have had quite a lot of interest -- from local people that want to develop it into a multi-use site."

He said the owner was selling the garage because he wants to retire, and confirmed that 'two or three' would-be buyers have already offered in excess of £675,000, and plan to redevelop the site, without the original Art Deco.

"Local planners have indicated that they are happy with retail, office and accommodation there," Mr Clayton said.

Blackpool's Art Deco heritage includes The White Tower building at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Funny Girls, a former cinema, on Dixon Road, and the Coronation Street section of The Winter Gardens.

Art Deco garages have been successfully redeveloped elsewhere in the UK, for example London's Bluebird Garage on Kings Road, which includes a shop and restaurant while retaining its Art Deco heritage.