Blackpool News SEALIFE Blackpool creates a giant Starfish - 330ft Wide! 19 May 2017 by Visit Blackpool Visitors at the top of The Blackpool Tower were left starry-eyed today (Friday), as they gazed out at a giant 330ft starfish on the beach below. A team of staff from SEA LIFE Blackpool carved the enormous artwork into the sand beneath Blackpool’s Tower Headland. The colossal sand drawing measured as big as: The width of three blue whales, the world’s biggest ever mammal Two thirds the height of The Blackpool Tower, which stands over it at 519 feet tall And 396 times bigger than an average starfish The creative masterpiece, which took the team of six more than four hours to complete, aimed to highlight the conservation of the starfish and the importance of this remarkable and often-overlooked creature. It coincides with the launch of a striking new display at SEA LIFE Blackpool, offering guests an interactive experience to get closer to the amazing world of starfish. Matthew Titherington, general manager at SEA LIFE Blackpool, added: “Here at SEA LIFE we have always known that starfish are fascinating creatures, which is why we have invested £150,000 in our new display highlighting them. “We were keen to mark the occasion properly and, with starfish a common occurrence just across the Promenade on Blackpool beach, we decided to add our own version! “It took an incredible effort from all the team to get the project finished in the narrow window we had available between high tides, but we are all delighted with the result, as well as the amount of interest it generated among visitors passing by, who were astounded by how big it was.” The new ‘Sea Stars’ display at SEA LIFE Blackpool features an array of colourful and multi-talented sea stars, which can incredibly regenerate missing limbs – and some species can even change gender at will! Scott Blacker, head aquarist at SEA LIFE Blackpool, explained: “Starfish are astonishing creatures and we want to give visitors the chance to get up close and personal to learn more about these awesome invertebrates, which belong to the Asteroidea class of marine life. “We call them sea stars as they really are stars of the sea. People may be familiar with the everyday starfish that you might find on a beach. However, there’s a massive array of different types of starfish of all different shapes, sizes and colours.” Aquarists will be on hand in the new display to give visitors a different viewpoint of the sea stars, which have eyes on the end of their limbs. They also eat by remarkably turning their stomachs inside out! Visitors are able to see the starfish in beach, rock pool and shoreline-themed interactive displays with aquarists on hand to help guests learn more about the fascinating world of the sea stars.