The world's tallest folly - the Wainhouse Tower - is opening its doors to the public.

And for just £2.50 (£2 if you're a child and £8 for a family) you can climb its 403 steps and check out the incredible 360° views from the top.

It isn't very often that the Halifax tower is open - but the 253ft (77m) is open on August Bank Holiday (August 28).

The giant folly, off Wakefield Gate, is open from 11am to 4pm with the last climb at 3.30pm.

Wainhouse Tower facts

The tower is named after dyeworks owner John Edward Wainhouse.

View from Wainhouse Tower
View from Wainhouse Tower

The dyeworks was belching out huge amount of acrid smoke, making Wainhouse rather unpopular with the locals.

Wainhouse therefore had the idea of building a huge chimney 350 metres up the hillside connected to the factory via an underground tunnel.

It was due to Wainhouse's intense dislike of his fellow landowner Sir Henry Edwards that a viewing platform was built at the top. Edwards has boasted he had the most private estate in Halifax, into which no-one could see.

Wainhouse Tower, Calderdale: The tallest structure in Calderdale, the main shaft is octagonal in shape with a square base and 403 stairs leading to the first of two viewing platforms offering fantastic views.

So Wainhouse, enlisted architect Isaac Booth to build the chimney between 1871 and 1875, next to Edwards' estate thus sticking two fingers up at his rival.

Following a row with Booth, Richard Swarbrick Dugdale took over as the architect creating the elaborate galleries and the corona dome at the top.

Ironically the now Grade II* listed structure was never used as a chimney.