Dudley Zoo chairlift to reopen next month

The reopening of Dudley Zoo's iconic chairlift has been delayed by the recent heavy rain - but visitors will be able to ride it within weeks as work reaches the final stages.

Refurbishment of the lift started in May and was expected to be completed by the end of July - but it is now set to open around the third week of August.

Around £100,000 is being spent on it, while a bid is being made for £1m from the Heritage Lottery Fund, to pay for the shot-blasting and painting of the 42 chairs on the lift and the repair and refurbishment of four of the Tecton buildings.

The chairlift was the first passenger-carrying aerial ropeway to be installed in England.

It transports visitors from the zoo's lower zone to the 11th century castle on the upper level, offering panoramic views across Sandwell to Birmingham, and travelling directly over flamingoes, llamas and rare breed sheep grazing below.