With the final preparations completed, Drayton Manor’s highly anticipated new thrill ride, Air Race, is officially airborne. The new attraction was officially launched on Saturday 5th July with the help of one of the UK’s hottest pop bands, The Vamps.

The teen heart-throbs, Bradley Simpson, James McVey, Connor Ball and Tristan Evans, opened the theme park’s £1.2million attraction, accompanied by a dazzling confetti cannon display, before fastening their seatbelts for the first flight, alongside lucky competition winners.

Visitors to the park were also treated to a sensational acoustic performance from The Vamps, where excited fans watched them perform their hit songs Somebody To You, Can We Dance and Cecilia, ahead of their debut ‘Meet The Vamps’ headline tour later this year.

The £2.5 million expansion of Europe’s only Thomas Land at Drayton Manor is now open.

It was hats off as the Fat Controller officially unveiled the extension to the attraction and the crowds in Sodor were delighted when a host of familiar faces, including Percy, James, Rosie and of course the star of the show, Thomas himself, chugged into Knapford Station to join in the opening celebrations.

Thomas Land has increased in size by 40% and is now home to a host of exciting new rides as well as Sodor Airport, which is set to be a soaring success. The airport complex includes balconies that offer ‘jet-setters’ unrivalled views over Thomas Land and beyond, with Thomas & Friends themed event rooms, which will be opening in Summer 2015 and it’s very own Sodor Coffee Shop.

Excited visitors couldn’t wait to climb aboard, fasten their seatbelts and prepare for take-off as they became the first to experience the three brand new rides – Captain’s Sea Adventure, Flynn’s Fire & Rescue and Toby’s Tram Express.

Drayton Manor is set to be bigger and better than ever in 2015 with a £2.5 million expansion that will see Europe’s only Thomas Land increase in size by 40%.

As we originally reported in August last year, Thomas Land at Drayton Manor is being expanded.

With 3 brand new rides plus a stunning new Sodor Airport terminal, Thomas Land will have even more to create a magical day out for Thomas fans in 2015.

Opening over Easter, the new rides will be Flynn’s Fire Rescue, Captain’s Sea Adventure and Toby’s Tram Express.

Enjoy the February Half Term at Drayton Manor theme park, near Tamworth in Staffordshire, which is set to welcome families for a week of fun and adventure.

From Saturday 14th to Sunday 22nd February 2015, 10.30am until 4pm a number of Drayton Manor’s most popular attractions will be open, including Thomas Land, the Zoo, Jolly Buccaneer, Ben 10: Ultimate Mission roller coaster and the 4D Cinema.

Thomas Land at Drayton Manor is home to many rides and attractions based on loveable Thomas & Friends characters, including Cranky the Crane and Harold the Helicopter. There is a Thomas the Tank Engine train ride, indoor and outdoor play areas, a café and shop.

Visitors to LEGOLAND Windsor will see changes to one of the park's original and most popular areas in 2015 as the famous Traffic attractions become part of a newly improved LEGO City area and LEGO Friends will be coming to the theme park too!

The LEGO City Driving School is bigger and better than ever with more child-size Fiat cars as well as a new lane on the test course. Boating School also gets a new look featuring more boats and more LEGO models, featuring surprising animations and audio affects - making LEGO City more Lego-tastic fun than ever!

Novice motorists (aged 6-13) looking to pass their LEGO City Driving School test this year will be briefed in a bright and colourful newly re-vamped training area before taking the wheel of a LEGO Brick shaped mini electric powered Fiat car to negotiate the test course. With an increased capacity more drivers can get behind the wheel than ever before and under six year olds can get in training too at L-Drivers. Over at the new look Boating School guests navigate the waters around the busy Coastguard HQ. Then it's time to jump aboard a fire engine to put out a raging fire at the Fire Academy and take a flight on Balloon School.