A HUGE London Eye-style wheel is expected to be in operation in a North city by late spring.

The landscape of York will be transformed by a wheel that will soar 60 metres into the air and give passengers stunning views for 20 miles around.

The National Railway Museum (NRM) has won approval to site the wheel at its city base for three years, and will operate it during the day and in the early evenings.

Forty-three climate-controlled capsules, which will hold eight people each, will take passengers on a 13-minute ride, offering a scenic panorama across the city and the Vale of York.

The wheel will be the second tallest structure in the city, standing only ten metres shorter than York Minster. It is expected to create 30 jobs and has the potential to attract as many as a million visitors.

The museum will run it jointly with the World Tourist Attraction group. Delighted museum head Andrew Scott said the wheel was a fantastic coup.

Many of the region's key businesses and visitor attractions have welcomed the development, which is expected to open in April or May.

The Dean of York, the Very Reverend Keith Jones, said: "The National Railway Museum is the perfect location for such a wheel, and we are optimistic that it will draw many new visitors to York, which can only benefit the attractions that already exist."

Train operator GNER, based in the city, has also backed the plans. A spokesman said: "We fully support the NRM's plans.

"This imaginative idea will provide an extra attraction to woo visitors."

In addition to tourists and residents, there are plans to make the wheel available for school trips, with educational packages on offer. The museum also plans to offer opportunities for private functions and sponsorship.