THE first of two new lighthouses has gone up on New Brighton's waterfront as part of a major new tourist attraction.

The beacons are a feature of a new Championship Miniature Golf Course - due to see its first players teeing off on Good Friday - and an official grand opening is being planned for early May.

The 18-hole miniature course is based on famous holes from some of the world's top golfing venues and appeals to serious golfers as well as families and children. It is sited on former council tennis courts on King's Parade.

Owner Nick Ashfield, who lives in Moreton, was one of two finalists in the Globe-backed Local Business Accelerator Awards.

The Globe is now designing a free three-month advertising and promotions campaign to help him boost the business and hopefully help steer him to success.

Mr Ashfield said: “Our lighthouses are replicas of two of the most iconic images in the world of golf – one at Turnberry, host to many Open Championships and the other is Harbour Town Lighthouse on Hilton Island, Carolina.

“They will light up at night and be an important added attraction for New Brighton which is booming once more following the Marine Point development by Neptune.”

The course represents a £250,000 investment and has been moved from is original site in Manchester.

Mr Ashfield continued: “We see New Brighton as having far more potential and it will become our flagship site with a much improved design.

“We have reinvented the once proven and popular pastime of mini/crazy golf so people of all abilities can play miniature versions of the world's most famous and challenging holes in less than an hour.”

Plans are well in hand to tie in competitions at the course with major tournaments – the first in April to coincide with the Masters.

The course has adopted the Wirral Autistic Society as its chosen charity.