LEEDS Castle is gearing up for its latest tree-top attraction after Christmas festivities attracted record numbers of visitors to the historic attraction.

There was comfort and joy for castle chiefs as more than 30,000 people - up 50 per cent on December last year - flocked to a medieval frost fair featuring a skating rink and Father Christmas.

Nearly 1,800 children visited Santa's Cottage to enjoy its festive scenes and toy-making machine.

The castle reported that more than 5,000 adults and children used the undercover skating rink that was open until the end of New Year's Day.

Now bosses are looking to a new high-wire forest adventure to keep the turnstiles turning.

Go Ape will be ready for its first climbers on March 15.

It was launched in 2001 after founders Tristram and Rebecca Mayhew discovered a tree-top adventure course in the Auvergne National Forest. They quit their business careers and brought the concept to the UK.

It is a course of rope bridges, tarzan swings and zip slides up to 40 feet in the trees. Participants are fitted with a climbing harness, given instructions and then trek from tree high above the forest floor.

Based at Bedgebury Pinetum, Go Ape has recently signed up to Kent Tourism Alliance.

Sandra Matthews-Marsh, KTA's chief executive, said: "Go Ape is an inspired and exciting concept that challenges perceptions by encouraging people to live life more adventurously."

Marcus Falconer, Go Ape's marketing manager, said: "Our mission is to challenge, surprise and excite – to encourage 'I can't' to become 'I can!'.

"We see ourselves as an eco-educational experience in that participants absorb valuable risk assessment and risk management skills while having a thrilling time during an environmentally responsible and sustainable activity."