VISITORS to a folly are being promised a game of cat and mouse at a new attraction.

The underground labyrinth at the Forbidden Corner, at the Tupgill Park Estate in Coverdale, North Yorkshire, has taken nine months to build at a cost of £150,000.

Called Cat and Mouse, the new attraction takes visitors on a magical tour of a mouse hole and uses sophisticated animatronics, electronic sensors and hydraulics.

The journey follows narrow tunnels leading from one mouse scene to another.

In a mouse schoolroom young mice are warned of the dangers of the cat, while in a pub, old mice chat in thick Yorkshire accents about their near-death experiences with "Henry the mice mincer". Beer is one grain per pint, according to the price list, and the pub menu includes cats' tail soup.

Finally, "theatre-goers" are treated to a musical about a cat.

Owner Colin Armstrong has said it will be the last major project to be built on the site.

"We had a real giggle planning it," said Mr Armstrong. "We wondered whether we should use live rats, then thought perhaps not. I love the place."

The Forbidden Corner has had 600,000 visitors in the past six years and has been voted best European folly by the Folly Fellowship.

Planning restrictions mean the park is limited to 120 people an hour, so visitors must book. Admission is £5.50 for adults, £4.50, pensioners and £3.50 for children.

The attraction can be contacted on (01969) 640638 or 640687 or call at Leyburn Tourist Information Centre.