A YORK-based operator of national attractions is continuing its association with television soaps as it announces plans for an Emmerdale tour.

Continuum Leading Attractions, based in Margaret Street, has revealed it is looking at a new visitor venture centred around the popular Yorkshire-based ITV soap opera.

Subject to planning approval, Emmerdale The Tour will see the fully-functioning live sets, located within the Harewood Estate in Leeds, open to the public for a 12 weeks.

The attraction will be second collaboration with ITV for Continuum, which also operates its Coronation Street The Tour in Manchester, which has been dubbed one of the highest profile visitor attractions outside of London.

Due to come to an end on December 31 this year, the Coronation Street Tour was originally licensed for a six month run starting in April last year, with parties then agreeing an extension in October.

Continuum said it is "delighted" to continue its working relationship with ITV through the planned Emmerdale tour, which will run each Sunday from August 9 to October 25, and will see guests taken on a fully-guided tour through the popular exterior sets where the Yorkshire drama has been filmed since 1998.

Continuum will be working directly with a number of approved coach companies to deliver the bookings and transport to the venue.

The company is working towards increasing its annual visitor numbers at its seven sites from one million to four million, as well as expanding its number of attractions to 15 over the next five years.

Continuum's current attraction portfolio includes York’s Chocolate Story, Oxford Castle Unlocked, the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth and The Real Mary King’s Close in Edinburgh.