A new tradition for Blackpool's landaus

For the approval of the latest application for one of the fairytale coaches means only half the resort's famous landau fleet is now made up of traditional horse-drawn vehicles.

Blackpool Council's public protection sub-committee has agreed an application from Susanna Bebbington to licence the latest Cinderella carriage.

It means 22 of the 44-strong fleet is now non-traditional.

Mrs Bebbington said: "A lot of people come to Blackpool just to ride in a Cinderella, and the little girls in particularly really love them.

"I was one of the first to dress my horses up with plumes and now everyone does that too.

"The change from traditional landaus to Cinderellas has been to meet demand.

"It's my livelihood, so I've had to go with the flow.

"But that doesn't mean the traditional landaus are going to disappear.

"Most operators, including myself, have both types of carriage. In the hotter weather the traditional landaus have been more popular and then I will bring the Cinderella out at about 4pm."

Mrs Bebbington had a gold Cinderella originally, but that is now being operated on the Prom by another landau owner, which prompted her to apply for her new white coach.

Coun Adrian Hutton, chairman of the public protection sub-committee, said the main priority was all carriages were safe and good quality.

He said: "It's up to the trade to say what they want and from talking to people, it's clear the Cinderellas are very popular and it's giving people more work.

"No-one has queried whether we should have more of one style or the other."

There was controversy when the first two Cinderella vehicles made their debut in 2009, amid fears the novelty carriages were out of character with the traditional landaus.

But following a review of their use, the council agreed they could be used but had to go before its committee to be inspected and licensed

Each application to licence a carriage is considered by the sub-committee on its own merit.