When Pete Langstone found out there was a new hotel in Liverpool claiming to be the first Beatles-themed hotel, he knew he had a fight on his hands.

And despite working Eight Days a Week to make the Strawberry Fields Hotel on Palatine Road a success, he is angry that the Liverpool-based consortium opening the new Hard Days Night Hotel is claiming to be the world's first.

The Blackpool hotel opened its doors in 2004 and has more than 160 photos, themed rooms and even its own Cavern-style bar in the basement.

And the Magical Mystery Tour doesn't end there as the Fab Four are even on the giant plasma-screen TV non-stop, charting the success of the world's biggest band.

Pete, 52, said Strawberry Fields had been a labour of love for himself and his partner, Trisha Brown.

So they were not best pleased when they heard the "first" Beatles hotel was due to open its doors on Merseyside in the autumn.

He added: "When we bought the place we thought about turning it into an Elvis hotel but we thought, being Blackpool, there would already be one. Then we thought of a 60s theme but we decided upon The Beatles.

"We arrived with just a small box containing a few pictures and some Beatles records.

"It's taken me two years to collect every bit of memorabilia I can get my hands on.

"I'm annoyed that Hard Days Night claims to be the first Beatles hotel when we have been here for years.