Bansky theme park site gets six million hits in a day
The website for a dystopian theme park masterminded by graffiti artist Banksy has received more than six million hits amid an unprecedented demand for tickets.
Millions of hopeful art fans received error messages under the weight of interest in Dismaland Bemusement Park in Western-super-Mare on the first morning tickets went on sale.
Dismaland spokeswoman Jo Brooks told ITV News the site had not crashed but was temporarily unavailable to most as so many people kept refreshing the web page.
While online traffic stalled, a vast crowd gathered along the seafront to gain entry to the park, which has re-imagined the site of the town's derelict lido.
"There's a queue as far as I can see," Ms Brooks said as hundreds lined up alongside barriers leading to the anti-Disneyland attraction.
North Somerset residents have been given early admittance with the first 1,000 with a proof of address and a copy of the local paper gaining entry.
She said 4,000 tickets would be available in two sessions across the day and evening and urged caution amid the apparent rush for tickets.
"People should try again by 12 o'clock," she said. "But don't keep hitting refresh."
Dismaland promises visitors "an alternative to the sugar-coated tedium of the average family day out".
Visit Somerset said the "Banksy Effect” could bring an extra £7 million to the Weston-super-Mare economy over the next six months.
The Bemusement Park will be open twice daily from this weekend for five weeks with an early session from 11am-5pm followed by an evening session from 6pm-11pm.