A POPULAR Hampshire tourist attraction is set to soar again when it re-opens next month.

The former New Forest Owl Sanctuary, which has been closed for 18 months, is due to open its doors to visitors on February 13.

Owner Giles Talbot has ploughed nearly £200,000 into the Crow Lane site, near Ringwood, since he took over from sanctuary founder Bruce Berry who quit amid allegations of cruelty and mismanagement in 2003.

Berry was found guilty of the illegal sale and display of wild birds at a trial at Southampton Crown Court.

He was given a 240-hour community punishment order and told to pay £10,000 court costs.

Mr Talbot has been fighting to re-open the complex as Liberty's Bird of Prey and Reptile Centre, but was thwarted when New Forest District Council took enforcement action against unauthorised buildings and use of the site.

At one point it appeared Mr Talbot would have to put down the centre's 240 birds - which he cared for out of his own pocket - including Europe's largest collection of owls.

But after a two-day appeal hearing in December a government inspector upheld Mr Talbot's planning appeal, which meant the new attraction, named after the centre's showpiece bald eagle, could finally open for business.

Mr Talbot said: "We are delighted to be open at last. It's a huge relief."

He and his partner Linda Bridges have vowed to make the centre a special attraction for Ringwood.

She said: "We want to preserve our dignity. We will not have any automated games, or make animals perform in any way that is not natural to them."

There will be two shows a day where Mr Talbot will fly eagles, hawks, owls, vultures and buzzards with the aid of his team of five staff and 25 volunteers.

Also, there will be twice daily shows of the centre's reptiles, which include a 16ft, 11-stone Burmese python, iguanas, boa constrictors and a Peruvian bird-eating tarantula.

There will be free entry to Ringwood people on the centre's opening day on February 13 and will be open all summer from 10am to 5pm, but from October to April it will only open at weekends, half-term and school holidays.

Call 01425 476487 for more information.