MORE than 16,000 people have visited the refurbished Summerlee Museum in the four days since it reopened.

It means the industrial museum has achieved 10% of its target visitor numbers for the entire year.

Organisers declared the weekend a huge success after people from across the Central Belt made their way to the Coatbridge attraction.

David Carroll, of North Lanarkshire Council, said: "The reopening went really well.

"The weather was great on the opening day on Friday and we had more than 4000 visitors.

"We have had roughly the same number each day of the September weekend.

"We are hoping to have 150,000 visitors over the next 12 months so it has been a really successful start."

Around £10million has been spent on the site during the course of the redevelopment, with an extended exhibition hall, new attractions and the renovation of its recreation of a coal mine.

One of the big crowd pullers has been the Evening Times branded tram ride. Summerlee is the only attraction in Scotland with a working tramline and visitors have flocked to the tram to take a trip around the park.

The Evening Times is the media partners for Summerlee and our masthead is attached to lampposts and the side of Tramcar 53 - an old tram painted in the traditional Glasgow tram colours of green, cream and orange.

Mr Carroll said: "The feedback from visitors has been extremely positive, with most describing it as enjoyable.

"The interactive attractions inside the exhibition hall has been well received and the tram ride is one of the most popular exhibits.

"We have also had actors from the Tram Theatre Company, who have been dressed up in period costume, and the reaction from the children has been very good.

"We have also seen people from as far away as Erskine visit so we are delighted."

The museumis open 10am-5pm and admission is free.

Don't miss tomorrow's four-page pull-out on Summerlee.