Big wheel gives sky views of city

The trip on the big wheel takes about 10 minutes

Visitors to Manchester will soon have a whole new view of the city.

A 42-carriage big wheel, similar to the London Eye, is being built in Exchange Square this week, for tourists and shoppers in the run-up to Christmas.

The wheel, believed to be the biggest of its type in the world, will be brought in by 24 lorries and erected piece by piece like a jigsaw.

The attraction was in Paris for two years and features a "VIP gondola", designed for President Jacques Chirac.

The special carriage comes complete with leather seats, carpets, a fridge and telephone.

The 60m-high wheel, which is lit by 51,000 light bulbs, will tower above the city's Urbis museum, offering views for miles.

A ride on the wheel will last about 10 minutes.

Big wheel facts It weighs 365 tonnes The wheel is balanced by 20,000 gallons of water on each side It is about half the size of the London Eye It will take a team of 15 workers at least a week to build The wheel was in Birmingham last Christmas

Cllr Mark Hackett, who has responsibility for culture and leisure at Manchester City Council, said: "We are delighted to bring this world famous attraction to our city.

"It will no doubt go down a storm and bring visitors from far and wide to Manchester this Christmas and beyond."

The wheel will be in place until the end of February.

Jonathan Shipley, a director at Birmingham-based World Tourist Attractions, the company behind the wheel, said: "Manchester is a great city and we really believe it will capture the imagination of the people here."

The big wheel is part of Festive Manchester - a programme of events in the city during the Christmas period.