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A huge theme park that once attracted half a million visitors in a single year has been left to rot for over a decade. However, it could soon be transformed into something completely different

A creepy, abandoned theme park that has been left to rot for 13 years could finally be handed a fresh breath of life.

Constructed back in 1983, and themed around the legends of King Arthur, the Magical Kingdom of Camelot attracted a staggering 500,000 annual visitors back in its heyday. Renowned for its grand white castle entrance, the theme park – which went through several ownerships – boasted several scream-inducing rides and roller coasters including Whirlwind and Excalibur.

The Knightmare roller coaster, which came to the park towards the end of 2006, is believed to have cost £3 million to build – and quickly became one of the most beloved attractions at the park. However, as the years went on – Camelot’s popularity started to plummet.

READ MORE: Huge abandoned UK underground station frozen in time walked over by millions

By 2005, the theme park, located in Chorley, Lancashire, was only attracting around 336,000 annual visitors – and in 2012, it closed to the public for good. Experts over at Together Money, who offer mortgage and loan products, valued Camelot Theme Park – which sits on some 140 acres – at a whopping £800 million.

It’s therefore no surprise the abandoned site has attracted the attention of property developers, namely Story Homes who want to build a huge housing estate on the land. The company applied to bulldoze the theme park and build similar schemes back in 2017 and 2019, but both applications were refused over objections on the use of greenbelt land.

However, developers have submitted a fresh application to Chorley Council outlining their plans to construct a mega residential development. This consists of up to 350 homes (50 per cent of which would be classed as affordable), a 186.9 square metre community hub, along with ‘associated habitat creation, landscaping, open space, parking, footpaths, cycleways, drainage and other infrastructure’.

“The vision for the site is to deliver a development that provides an exceptional quality of place, underpinned by the highest standards of design and sensitive placemaking,” the supporting planning application statement reads. “The proposed development will deliver the homes that people need, responding to the acute housing and affordability crisis in the Borough by delivering the type, tenure and quality of market and affordable housing, alongside community infrastructure, that will create and support a new community.

“The vision for the site is supported by a generous landscape led masterplan that respects the wider Green Belt and woodland context and provides new green spaces, green infrastructure and habitats as a fundamental element of a new landscape framework.”

At the time of writing, the planning application has received a dozen public comments – with the overwhelming majority slamming the proposals. One furious resident said it would ‘destroy’ the local villages, adding: “There’s absolutely no benefit to this except a money grab for a small group of people. This needs rejecting permanently what an absolute disgrace.”

They argued such construction would ‘destroy wildlife, overload services, increase traffic and lower village house prices’. Another agreed, scathing: “I formally object to the proposed development of 350 houses on the grounds of its significant and detrimental impact on the local area. The development would dramatically increase vehicle traffic on narrow, rural roads that aren’t designed to accommodate such volumes. This would lead to a rise in noise pollution and pose safety risks to pedestrians, cyclists, and existing residents.”

Others argued the development would put too much constraint on local amenities and lead to overcrowding – suggesting the site should be turned into a leisure development instead. However, not everybody seemed to disagree with the application.

One person commented: “There are too many keyboard warriors who don’t know the facts and basically don’t want any more housing in the area. As long as the development is sympathetic to the local nature, I think it is an ideal use of a brownfield site.”

First Homes has published noise impact, air quality, transport, and preliminary roost assessments – along with documents detailing its ecological appraisal. All of these can be viewed here.

The application was validated on Friday, June 20, 2025, and is currently awaiting decision.

Should the development go ahead? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Billions of dollars have been spent. Some of the world’s greatest players have come and gone. Yet the Champions League trophy has remained agonisingly out of reach for Paris Saint-Germain.

That could be about to change.

The Qatari-owned team is one game away from European club football’s most prestigious prize, with Inter Milan standing in the way in Saturday’s final in Munich.

“The motivation for me is to win the Champions League title for the first time for PSG,” coach Luis Enrique said on Friday. “That is the gift I want to give the people, the club, the city.”

Inter Milan have ‘utmost’ respect for PSG

PSG is the favourite, with a thrilling young team that has produced stunning performances to get past Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal. It feels like its time has finally come.

But Inter is a wily opponent that is in its second final in three seasons and cut down a rampant Barcelona in an epic semifinal — winning 7-6 on aggregate.

“Our opponent, we hold the utmost respect for,” Inter captain Lautaro Martinez said. “But with the weapons we’ve got, we want to hit them where it hurts.”

The warning signs are there for PSG.

PSG’s run to the final has justified a shift in direction from the bling culture of superstar signings to focus more on young French talent.

Owned by Qatar Sports Investments since 2011, PSG signed some of the biggest names in football, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Lionel Messi without ever getting its hands on the trophy it craves most of all.

Messi, Neymar and Mbappe have all gone, and without those iconic figures, PSG looks a more complete team.

“It’s about being a team, not a group of individuals,” PSG captain Marquinhos said. “I’m in love with this team. It’s a delight to be part of the squad.”

Expensive PSG face savvy Inter Milan

PSG’s transformation has still come at some cost.

Players like Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia were signed for an estimated $240m combined in a squad assembled at spectacular expense.

Meanwhile, Inter has been savvy in the market — signing older players and picking up free agents to put together a team that has reached two Champions League finals in three years — losing to Man City in 2023 — and won an Italian title in that time.

PSG’s only previous final was in 2020, a 1-0 loss to Bayern Munich.

It was a semifinalist in 2021 and 2024. Elimination in the round of 16 in 2022 and 2023 preceded the decision by President Nasser Al-Khelaifi to change his transfer strategy.

This year is only the second time since 2011 that three-time champion Inter has advanced beyond the round of 16.

World Cup winner ‘missing’ a Champions League medal

Inter last won the Champions League in 2010 under Jose Mourinho.

Dembele has been one of the outstanding players in Europe this season with 30 goals in all competitions for PSG, including a run of 24 in 18 games from December to March.

Kvaratskhelia was signed from Napoli in January and sparked a turnaround in PSG’s fortunes in the Champions League when it looked in danger of being eliminated at the league stage.

The Georgian forward was long considered one of the brightest talents in Europe before making the move and has added another dimension to an already thrilling PSG attack.

Midfielders Vitinha and Joao Neves are the engine, hungrily hunting down the ball when out of possession and springing attacks with the speed of their passing.

World Cup winner Lautaro Martinez is Inter’s standout player and became the club’s all-time leading scorer in the Champions League this season.

“I’ve won big trophies, but I’m missing the Champions League. I’m happy to be in another final. We want to have the perfect game and bring the trophy back to Milan,” the Argentinian forward said.

Inter enter second final in three years as PSG eye date with destiny

Defender Denzel Dumfries played a huge role in beating Barcelona with two goals in the first leg at the Nou Camp and goalkeeper Yann Sommer pulled off a string of saves to keep Inter in the tie in the second leg.

A Champions League winner with Barcelona in 2015, Luis Enrique has won 12 major trophies in spells with the Catalan club and PSG.

If his club, the French champions, triumph on Saturday, he would become the seventh coach to win the Champions League or European Cup with two different teams. The list includes Carlo Ancelotti, Pep Guardiola and Mourinho.

Victory would come 10 years after his previous title.

“I have peace of mind. I’ve got 10 years more experience since the last time,” Luis Enrique said. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to play in a final and make history.”

Inter’s Simone Inzaghi is hoping to win his first Champions League title at the second time of asking after the defeat to City two years ago.

Then, as now, Inter was the underdog, and came close to upsetting Guardiola’s all-conquering City.

“Matches don’t come down to wage bills or turnover, it’s the players on the pitch,” Inzaghi said. “We were huge underdogs two years ago and went toe to toe.

“I dreamt of playing the Champions League final. I didn’t do it as a player, but thanks to this group of players, I’ve been in two finals as a head coach.”

Inzaghi cannot match Enrique’s trophy count but has impressed at Inter where he won Serie A last year, and alongside two Italian Cups, it was his third overall. Only a week ago, Inter surrendered the Serie A title by one point.

“I like people having options, it’s healthy,” Bellamy said.

“He’s not ready for our squad yet. It’s something he’d like to go and have a look at, but I like to think we have done our work as well.

“At the end the decision will be his. He knows where we are and where he is. He’s not ready for first-team football with us at this moment.

“It’s his decision. I’ve known him since he was very young and I know his family really well. Whatever he does will be the right thing for him, it’s not a problem.”

Canada boss Jesse Marsch has praised Biancheri and compared him to his highly rated Lille striker Jonathan David.

The former Leeds boss told Canadian reporters last week: “He’s a dynamic player. He’s very good around the goal. You can see he’s an intelligent player.

“He’s a version of Jonathan David. He’s not exactly the same player but he’s a striker that can play up on the backline and is also good at coming underneath and connecting plays and being part of the build-up phase.

“I’ve had good conversations with Gabe and his family. He has several options to think about in what country he wants to represent.

“I think it’s really important that the family feels the connection to Canada.”

Newquay in Cornwall was once known as the go-to place for hen and stag parties, but is now unrecognisable since the council cracked down on the drunken antics including the wearing of makinis

The seaside resort once dubbed ‘Britain’s Magaluf‘ has transformed beyond recognition after ditching its raucous image – and outlawing mankinis, according to local residents.

Shopkeepers and residents of Newquay in Cornwall hardly know the town anymore since it made a determined effort to lose its ‘wild west’ tag. Famed for its unruly atmosphere due to stag dos, boys’ holidays, and boisterous teen celebrations, the coastal spot has seen dramatic change.

In response to growing concerns, the council imposed a “mankini ban” in 2009. As part of the lauded Newquay Safe initiative, this rule prohibited mankinis and other “inappropriate clothing” like fancy dress in public areas.

This action was spurred by the tragic deaths of two teens during night outs in the area. The initiative proved successful, with Devon and Cornwall Police reporting a reduction in crime by one-fifth when comparing 2012 to 2009 figures.

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Incidents of anti-social behaviour also plummeted from 685 to 286 during these specific years. Locals, long wearied by incessant partying, say that today’s Newquay is in stark contrast to its boisterous past. Where the notorious Bertie’s nightclub used to stand, now quaint independent coffee shops adorn the main thoroughfare – the club shuttered last year.

Nowadays, families enjoy peaceful strolls along the shore and engage in surfing lessons, while the elderly can be seen playing bowls with the scenic beach as their backdrop. Vintage boutiques, skate shops, and surf gear outlets now intersperse with charming pasty sellers.

The amusement arcades nestled in the town centre remain as the sole remnants of a bygone era. Arcade employee Maddie Grover, 25, has observed a shift in her hometown’s atmosphere, noting that while stag dos still exist, they’re “not as bad as they were at the time”.

She recalled how the nightlife quietened notably after the closure of Bertie’s. Now, according to Maddie, certain clubs bar entry to costumed stag groups. Maddie described the change: “The high street is a little bit rowdy in the central area. It’s better now, it’s more calm, there aren’t as many fights. We see lots of families because we work in an arcade but we see a lot more families in general.”

Local shop worker Andy, 40, is relieved that the town is shaking off its old notoriety. He believes the transformation has bred a new mutual respect and eliminated the dread locals used to feel: “Silly season, we expect, but it’s not something you’re dreading anymore. You’re not dodging vomit on the high street.”

His daily skateboard commute is more pleasant now, without having to navigate around hazardous remnants of nocturnal activities: “I skateboard from the top of the hill to the shop and there’s no longer passed-out people, people who have vomited everywhere and broken glass. It’s cleaned up quite a lot since then. I just see hungry happy high people wandering around in the mornings looking for a good breakfast.”

And it’s not just the early risers who have changed; the town’s allure for families has spiked: “There are families coming down, and the families that come down have that mentality of: ‘I’d love to live here because of how it is.'”.

Andy also doesn’t miss the once-common sight of scantily clad tourists: “Compared to before when you would walk down the high street and see six dudes in mankinis and none of them have seen a gym before and you’re like: ‘Great’. Everyone likes to see a bollock at 11 in the morning.

“You still get stag and hen dos but they’ve been reined in. There are certain rules and regulations, like the mankini ban. You’re not allowed fancy dress in certain bars over a certain time in the evenings. In the day, if you want to come out and have a stag do and everyone dresses up and has fun, that’s absolutely fine, but once it gets past a certain time of night, it tends to knock that on the head.”

Andy, who enjoys donning spandex and cowboy boots, lamented that the stringent rules had resulted in him being denied entry to venues. “There’s a difference between fancy dress and dressing fancy”, he remarked. Overall, he conceded that Newquay has “cleaned up its act”.

“Fights are fights, it’s always going to happen. It’s the nature of mixing alcohol with idiots. You might not get it to such a grand scale now but it’s still going to happen. People will smash bottles on the beach,” Andy added.

“I don’t care what you do but my mates walk down here barefoot, my friend’s kids play on the beach. The beach is for everyone, not just for you to have fun. There is a bit of that and locals will bark at people. We want you to have a good time but also we want to have a good time, so don’t knock the bins over at 3am and wake everybody up. It’s just goofy stuff and not stuff the police can be running round and dealing with.”

But he mentioned concerns regarding second homes – an issue rife across Cornwall. Residents lament over being unable to afford homes in their scenic towns due to outsiders snapping up properties and driving up prices.

Peron Wills, a climbing instructor from nearby St Dennis, reflected on how nightlife has changed since his younger days. At 38, he remarked: “It’s not as good a night out as it used to be.

“I have been on stag dos here and they were pretty crazy. They have New Year’s and Christmas parties still but I think it used to be crazier. I don’t go out anymore so I just assume nobody does.

“There were always moans in the local papers that Newquay needs cleaning up. I don’t think it’s just Newquay; every town has the old versus young. Everyone moves away to go and find money. You grow up here and can’t afford to live here for a while so you go away and come back when you retire. There’s a big age gap. There are still clubs around but not as many as there used to be.”

Adam Sandler has no crocodile tears for “Happy Gilmore” co-star Morris the alligator — he has fond jokes instead.

The “Punch-Drunk Love” actor and comedian on Wednesday shared a playful tribute honoring his reptilian co-star who died Sunday of old age at a gator farm in southern Colorado. In the tribute, shared to Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), Sandler remembered the alligator’s time on the set of his quirky 1996 golf comedy.

“We are all gonna miss you. You could be hard on directors, make-up artists, costumers — really anyone with arms or legs,” Sandler captioned a movie still featuring himself and Morris, “but I know you did it for the ultimate good of the film.”

Jay Young, the owner and operator of Colorado Gator Farm, announced Morris’s death in an emotional video shared to Facebook. “He started acting strange about a week ago. He wasn’t lunging at us and wasn’t taking food,” Young said, stroking the reptile’s head.

“I know it’s strange to people that we get so attached to an alligator, to all of our animals,” Young added. “He had a happy time here, and he died of old age.”

In “Happy Gilmore,” Sandler’s unlikely golf star confronts the feisty gator played by Morris after a golf ball lands in his toothy jaws. After an unsuccessful attempt, Happy dives into the golf course pond where he pummels the reptile and retrieves the ball.

Morris was best known for “Happy Gilmore,” but also appeared in numerous screen projects including “Interview with the Vampire,” “Dr. Dolittle 2” and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” before he retired in 2006. He was found as an illegal pet in the backyard of a Los Angeles home and sent to the Colorado Gator Farm.

In his tribute, Sandler said he learned a “powerful lesson” from Morris on the set of their film after he refused to “come out of your trailer” without the bait of 40 heads of lettuce: “Never compromise your art.” The “Wedding Singer” and “50 First Dates” star also reminisced on totally real encounters with the gator including sharing a candy bar.

“You let me have the bigger half,” he joked. “But that’s who you were.”

According to Sandler, Morris was a Hollywood veteran with classy habits. The “Uncut Gems” star joked that the alligator, despite his character’s death in the first film, sent the “Happy Gilmore” team a “fruit basket and [a] hilarious note” ahead of the long-anticipated sequel, which premieres in July.

“I will miss the sound of your tail sliding through the tall grass, your cold, bumpy skin, but, most of all, I will miss your infectious laugh,” Sandler concluded his eulogy. “Thanks to Mr. Young for taking care of you all these years, and vaya con dios, old friend.”

Colorado Gator Farm announced on Monday that it decided to preserve Morris’ body via taxidermy “so that he can continue to scare children for years to come.”

“It’s what he would have wanted,” the farm said on Facebook.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The Disneyland Resort’s new “World of Color” show begins with some regal nostalgia. Standing before a lagoon in Disney California Adventure, we hear the voice of Walt Disney, and see a host of Disney’s animated classics — “The Little Mermaid,” “Pinocchio,” “The Lion King” and more — projected on fountains to a patient, stately interpretation of “Rainbow Connection” from Boyz II Men.

We are prepped for a show of romanticized remembrance while we hear Disney recite the original dedication speech for Disneyland. The park, he tells us, is hoped to be a “source of joy and inspiration,” only when he hits the word “joy,” the show suddenly switches direction. That’s when the character of Joy from the “Inside Out” films arrives on the scene, and quickly stamps out any looks back. “World of Color Happiness!” is then off and running, a brisk, music-focused show dedicated to all things “happiness.”

Disneyland this July is turning 70, but the festivities officially launch Friday. “World of Color Happiness!” is one of many entertainment offerings that the park will highlight over the coming year, but it’s designed to be arguably the showcase production, as many others, such as the nighttime parade “Paint the Night,” are returning shows. And “World of Color Happiness!” sets the tone of the 70th anniversary celebrations. Disneyland faithful who remember the 60th anniversary a decade ago will recall an anniversary year that dug deep into Disneyland history and lore.

“Paint the Night,” initially introduced for Disneyland’s 60th anniversary, is back for its 70th.

(Christian Thompson / Disneyland Resort)

For the 70th, Disney creatives spoke of wanting to create a party vibe. Even the logo jumps out like a birthday cake topper, with the number “70” alternately blocky and rounded as if constructed out of frosting. Those after some of that patented Disneyland nostalgia will find it in a short, five-minute projection show over on the facade of It’s a Small World, but even that production — “Tapestry of Happiness,” which ever-so-slightly glances at the artwork of key Small World designer Mary Blair — is a jovial affair.

Similarly, a projection show on California Adventure’s Carthay Circle — “Celebrate Happy: A Little Bit of Magic Every Night” — is a two-minute, energetic morsel, one featuring Tinker Bell turning the upscale lounge and restaurant into Sleeping Beauty Castle one moment, and a canvas for fireworks in the next. Consider it a mini street fest. Elsewhere, Disney has tastefully added “Coco’s” Miguel and Dante to It’s a Small World, and the video game attraction Toy Story Midway Mania has been outfitted with a host of new targets, some worth 700 or 7,000 points.

Still to come, of course, is “Walt Disney — A Magical Life,” set to open on Disneyland’s official anniversary date of July 17. The show will feature the debut of an audio-animatronic figure of Disney, and is expected to retell the Disneyland creation myth. No doubt “A Magical Life” will inject Disneyland’s 70th celebration, which is scheduled to last through next summer, a dose of history, but for now, the resort wants guests tapping and dancing. Even a new show for tots, “Disney Junior: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!,” is framed around throwing a house party, complete with a booty-shaking Goofy.

A good time, no doubt, and yet I found myself missing a hint of sentimentality while watching “World of Color Happiness!” Ostensibly a clip show, any “World of Color” presents a challenge in trying to stitch together a theme out of sometimes dozens of films — some that soar by across a pond of cascading fountains, and others that float into the sky on cleverly crafted projected bubbles. Songs given centerpiece showings here include “I2I” from “A Goofy Movie” and “I’ve Got a Dream” from “Tangled.”

The new projection show “Celebrate Happy: A Little Bit of Magic Every Night” is a morsel of energy that illuminates the facade of restaurant and lounge Carthay Circle.

(Christian Thompson / Disneyland Resort)

The narrative throughline follows the characters of “Inside Out” as they circle in and around other Disney films, so much so that “Happiness!” at times feels like an “Inside Out” short. Joy’s quest is to discover what makes everyone happy and she struggles with some other emotions, such as Sadness and Anxiety, and “Encanto’s” “Surface Pressure” arrives to remind us that happiness isn’t always easy to come by. But that moment is fleeting. Joy has a mission.

I wish it dug a little deeper. Happiness, after all, isn’t always our goal, and Disney’s films feature a breath of emotions, including a number that focus on finding strength in adversity. “Happiness!” glances at them, with quick references to “The Lion King” or “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” but the focus is on having a blast — the boy band crushes of “Turning Red,” for instance, or platitudes such as focusing on a dream and making a wish (“This Wish”). Have we already forgotten the lessons of “The Princess and the Frog”?

Yet “Happiness!” is so steadfast — borderline oppressive, I’d argue — in its message that here, at Disneyland, with family or friends, we are happy, that it became the rare Disneyland show I actually felt slightly excluded from. Happiness is a luxury, and audiences will bring their own emotions to the show. I arrived in the midst of what’s been a difficult year, one that has me turning to Disneyland, yes, but for comfort rather than pure joy.

Disney’s full dedication speech notes it’s a place dedicated to “the ideals, the dreams and the hard facts” that have created America, and throughout the park we find idealized messages, but those that help us make sense of the world rather than wish it away. Whether exploring gluttony and sin (Pirates of the Caribbean), the impermanence of life (Haunted Mansion) or perseverance in hard work (Snow White’s Enchanted Wish), Disneyland finds delight in the messiness of life.

“World of Color Happiness!” centers on a quest from “Inside Out” character Joy to discover what makes each of us happy.

(Sean Teegarden / Disneyland Resort)

By the end of “World of Color Happiness!,” which concludes with an upbeat commercial jingle of a tune from Fitz of Fitz and the Tantrums, I found myself wanting to scream at Joy: Leave me alone and let me be down. For while that is totally OK, too, “Happiness!” doesn’t aim to be anything more than a marketing tag line — “celebrate happy” — for Disneyland’s 70th.

And yet I found myself charmed by the pre-show for “Happiness!” Here, we see the Muppets, also celebrating a 70th anniversary, try and fail to give a safety spiel. Gonzo wants to perform a stunt, Miss Piggy aims to steal the show, and Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem fail to get the band back together. Ultimately, the job gets done, but not without an assortment of comedic fits and starts. Here’s betting it brings a smile to your face, and does so without telling you to do so.