ONE of Torbay's newer tourist attractions is seeing a recession-busting increase in visitors this summer.

Living Coasts opened six years ago and so far this year has seen a four per cent increase in visitors which it says is due to its evolution into an all-weather attraction.

It has had 59,000 visitors this year, an increase of 4,041 on last, and should total more than 100,000.

When it first opened Living Coasts had a visitor target of 300,000.

A spokesman said: "Who knows where we'd be if the economy was stronger? It seems more people are holidaying in this country, which is good for Torbay and good for us.

"Living Coasts has evolved into a true all-weather attraction. We started out with mostly coastal birds and we've become famous for our penguins, but we have added things like mud-skippers, four-eyed fish, stingrays, crabs and sea-horses."

Living Coasts opened as a marine aviary as part of the Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust's continuing investment in conservation and education locally but has changed into a coastal zoo.

The spokesman said: "As we come to this year's critical August school holiday period, things are looking pretty good.

"Investment over the last two years means we are ideally placed whether we have a wet summer or a sunny one.

"Visitors can be out enjoying the sun and there's plenty to do undercover, too.

"Outside we have pools and beaches with penguins and puffins and fur seals. Inside we have underwater viewing windows, play areas and our amazing mangrove area, complete with subterranean forest.

"This summer we have opened our new Local Coasts exhibit, with seahorses, cuttlefish and starfish."

The attraction is playing an increasingly-important role as a conservation centre for exotic and native species and senior staff are taking on roles in local maritime and environmental initiatives.

"As a charity we are open about our visitor numbers. In the first year we had more than 146,000.

"Figures have fallen back but during the 12 months to the end of October we had almost 108,000."

He said Living Coasts has added variety to Torbay's tourist mix, but there is no danger of the attraction sitting on its laurels.

"We have a lot of big ideas. Plans change and nothing is definite yet, but in the future there could be coral sharks and underwater web cams.

"A sea cave exhibit could be home to Pacific octopus and even free-flying bats.

"Living Coasts is a small site but it's amazing how much we can pack into it."

It is just one acre compared with Paignton Zoo's 80, and which has been going for 85 years.

So far the zoo is almost on a visitor par with last year and is 700 down with 300,000 visitors through the gates.

Last year it had a record 529,740 visitors.