A MONSTER hit exhibition at Bolton Museum made a profit of more than £5,000, councillors have been told.

The dinosaur-themed Jurassic event, a touring display from the Yorkshire Museum in York, was the first exhibition ever held at the Le Mans Crescent attraction where entrance fees were charged.

But it is unlikely to be the last after attracting 25,313 visitors. During its 13-week run, takings at the museum shop went up 50pc. Surveys showed that 31 pc of visitors said they had never visited the museum before -- but of those a staggering 98 pc pledged to return.

Charges for the travelling exhibition were kept deliberately low, only £2 for adults in Bolton compared with £4.75 when it appeared in Manchester and £3.25 in York.