One of North Yorkshire's top visitor attractions has a new owner.

Doncaster entrepreneur Adrian Sayers has snapped up Mother Shipton's Cave, in Knaresborough, which is believed to be the country's oldest tourist attraction.

The cave and its leisure facilities were on the market earlier this year for £625,000, though it is thought Mr Sayers paid slightly less than that figure.

Earlier this year, while Mother Shipton's Cave was still on the market, it was reported that the tourist attraction might be taken into public ownership.

But Rotherham-born Mr Sayers moved to the area from Doncaster this week with his family and is said to be drawing up plans to tempt more tourists to the cave.

Mother Shipton's Cave is on record as receiving its first visitors in 1603 and is believed to have been the birthplace of the prophet Mother Shipton.

The cave is the second major Knaresborough attraction to bought by a private buyer recently.

Last year, the House in the Rock was bought by antiques dealer Andre Gora, from Pateley Bridge.

Updated: 11:15 Thursday, June 07, 2001