Blackpool Pleasure Beach has announced the official opening date of its hotly anticipated new roller coaster – ICON, will be Friday 25th May.

Since construction work on the new £16.25m roller coaster commenced in December 2016, roller coaster fans worldwide have been clamouring for news of when they’ll be able to experience the exciting new ride.

The theme park has confirmed that the wait is almost over, with the roller coaster ready to ride by the Whitsun half term.

The final piece of ICON, a new £16.25 million roller coaster, has been installed at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

The track completion in the build of what the park are calling "the world’s most interactive roller coaster" was conducted by a 50-strong team, using a crane to hoist the final piece of grey steel track into place.

This sees a key section of the roller coaster complete which will see riders catapulted forward at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour ahead of soaring to heights of 82 feet.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach has demolished the classic Wild Mouse roller coaster that opened in 1958.

Wild Mouse was an iconic wooden roller coaster, one of only 4 remaining wooden Wild Mouse roller coasters left in the world and was held in high regard as one of the finest and most extreme examples.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach issued the following statement:

Blackpool Pleasure Beach has announced that the new multi launch roller coaster from MACK Rides opening in 2018 will be called ICON.

The new ride will feature 2 inversions; an in-line twist and an immelmann. It will take just 161 seconds for the roller coaster to complete the 1,143 metres of track.

The £16.25 million roller coaster will be the UK’s first ever with a double launch, with riders experiencing two powerful thrusts of acceleration during the ride, reaching up to 80km/h.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach is offering eight thrilling nights of late night riding and fireworks in 2017.

On 29th April, 3rd June, 29th July, 12th August, 26th August, 23rd September, 28th October and 4th November the rides at Blackpool Pleasure Beach will be open until 10pm for some late night riding followed by a spectacular fireworks display.