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Cleethorpes' Pleasure Island theme park is to shut at the end of the season.

Owner Melanie Wood made the shock announcement this afternoon.

While the theme park will remain open this weekend and for other planned weekends plus its annual fireworks event on October 29, the gates will then be locked for the final time.

McCormack's will stay open - reopening after this season next spring.

Mrs Wood said: "It is with deep sadness that I am informing you I have made the very difficult decision to close Pleasure Island Theme Park at the end of this season.

"For the past seven seasons we, as a team, have tried very hard indeed to keep the business going but unfortunately there have been too many hurdles.

"Despite heavy investment over the years the visitor numbers continue to fall and the good August weather this year sadly was not enough to sustain the business.

"In truth it has been a massive struggle from day one but I lived in the hope that with the support of such a loyal and dedicated team and some good weather we would get through. The team never let me down but over the years the weather, amongst other things, certainly has."

Mrs Wood said the future of the site was unknown, but the council has been informed of the decision.

"Going forward I am confident they will endeavor to work with me to make the right decisions for the resort.

"We will continue to operate McCormack's bar and restaurant, as we have done in the past, making improvements over the winter period in preparation for a relaunch in late spring.."

The park opened on May 27, 1993 and was originally a subsidiary of Flamingo Land.

Pleasure Island became independent of Flamingo Land in May 2010 when Melanie took ownership of it, separate from the family company, following a period of uncertainty about the park's future. On April 14, 2010, staff turned up for work to find the gates locked, and visitors turned away, but it reopened under its new ownership on May 1, 2010.

It's on the site of the former Cleethorpes Zoo and stock car racing.

Mrs Wood continued: "I would like to take this opportunity to thank the people of Cleethorpes, Grimsby and the surrounding area for their support over the last quarter of a century. Without you we would not have lasted as long as we have.

"I would also like to thank the local press who have been nothing but supportive of Pleasure Island from day one.

"The park will remain open for the rest of the season, meaning there are just eight days of normal operation left plus, of course, our last firework event which will take place on October 29 (tickets now available)."