DIGGING for ancient treasures and spinning round a giant wheel - these were just some of the things locals got up to this weekend as they got a chance to be tourists in their own city.

Many of York's best-loved attractions cut their prices or opened for free to people with a YORKCard as part of the annual Residents' First Weekend.

Among them was Dig - the archaeological attraction in St Saviourgate - where enthusiastic families flocked throughout the weekend. Emma Hirst, from Dig, said: "A lot of our tours were up to what we consider to be capacity. We've had quite a few families who've asked how much it is to come normally."

Meanwhile, the Yorkshire Wheel at the National Railway Museum was offering to York residents two tickets for the price of one.

Museum duty manager Andy Gray said 100 people were already queuing at the attraction when it opened up on Saturday morning - nearly all of them local.

"There seem to have been an awful lot of York families who have come to take up the offer," he said. "It's nice for us to be able to give something back to the public."

Another popular attraction was the former nuclear bunker off Acomb Road, Holgate, York.

A spokeswoman for English Heritage, which runs the award-winning attraction, said all the tickets for the guided tours were reserved several days before the Residents' First Weekend.

The nuclear bunker also served as a base for the Royal Observer Corps.

Debbie Lovatt, York tourism development officer, said the whole weekend had been "really successful".

"We've had very positive feedback on the attractions," she said.

A special information bus was on duty in Parliament Street throughout the weekend, and local bands played in St Sampson's Square.

The weekend was supported by First York and smilesallround estate agents.