The mascot of Morecambe's famous Wild West theme park has - quite literally - reared his head in the town once again!
Frontier Fred was the popular 'deputy dog' who used to patrol Frontierland during the fairground's heyday, delighting customers both young and old.
Sadly Fred hung up his sheriff's badge when the theme park on Marine Road West closed in 2000.
But the head of a Frontier Fred costume has now reappeared, on display outside a Morecambe gift shop.
The team at Beach Bird on Marine Road Central have acquired the head and placed it on top of a mannequin's body as a talking point for customers and passers by.
Andy Winters from Beach Bird believes it's from one of only two Fred costumes ever made.
LISTEN to our interview with Andy from Beach Bird
"We're getting loads of people, it's stirring up some brilliant memories of Morecambe," said Andy.
"I'm not a Morecambe lad myself, I'm from Preston originally, and I used to take my kids here, religiously, to Frontierland and I remember Fred.
"There has been a lot of people who wore it, who worked in it, people taking photos of it."
Rob and Debbie Ellershaw of The Exchange pub on Regent Road in Morecambe, also own a full Frontier Fred costume which was used on the theme park, where both of them used to work.
"I wasn't aware there were two (costumes) but possibly there may have been at one time," said Debbie.
Here's Fred below, at Rob's stag do! As you can see, this Fred is different to the one at Beach Bird, as he has teeth and no tongue sticking out! Image courtesy of Debbie Ellershaw.
Rob and Debbie, who met while working at Frontierland, went on to run the Ranch House pub at the theme park before taking over The Exchange.
As for Frontier Fred, he was so popular with Frontierland customers, they even made a soft toy likeness of him, which was on sale in the theme park shops including 'JRs' and 'The Trading Post'.
And a Fred cuddly toy can still be seen today above the bar at The Exchange!
The canine hero also starred in his own Frontier Fred Show on the fairground, joined by other cuddly characters.
Frontierland workers often took it in turns to don the doggie costume, accompanied by a photographer who took snaps of Fred with the punters.
The Wild West theme park, which opened in 1987 on the site of the former Morecambe Pleasure Park fairground and was owned by Blackpool Pleasure Beach, also included popular rides such as the 'Texas Tornado' roller coaster, the Mexican Hat, the Runaway Mine Train (previously known as the Wild Mouse) and the Log Flume (pictured).
The land has been derelict for the past 23 years and is now owned by Lancaster City Council, who have asked for 'expressions of interest' from potential developers.
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