FIVE floors of shops, artefacts, collectors' pieces and a pirate ship especially for the kids -- Botany Bay is surely the perfect place to go when the weather is grim.

Of course, that isn't to say it's not a good place to go when the weather is fine, because it is, it is just that it provides a marvellous haven during the British winter.

I believe Botany Bay has been open for around eight years yet this was my first visit. We, that's my husband and I, took our two-year-old son to find out what was on offer.

It is a former 19th century Victorian cotton mill situated alongside the north of England's canal network, blending the best of olde worlde memorabilia with contemporary crafts, shopping attractions and fun for the kids.

Our first stop was the Victorian marketplace on the ground floor.

The marketplace is set out like a small Victorian street housing lots of tiny and intriguing little shops. There was one selling the most wonderful hats and another, a huge favourite I'll bet, was the traditional sweet shop.

It sold everything you would remember from the penny tray and I laughed in the face of my dentist and bought a sherbet dab, sherbet fountain and a bag of flying saucers.

The shops are quite eclectic in their stock and you can pick up some beautiful and extraordinary gifts.

The remaining four floors tend to follow different themes and these change on a regular basis. One section was completely devoted to scented candles, soaps and other delicious bath products. Another floor houses what can only be described as "collectors stalls" with second-hand clothes, records and books. Beware, you can lose yourself for hours in these!

By now hunger set in and we headed off to one of the two restaurants -- one on the ground floor (licensed for beers and wines) and one on the fourth. We chose the latter and enjoyed veggie burger and chips, large jacket potato and kids' fish and chips plus a couple of coffees for under a tenner.

Fortified and happy we made our way back down to the ground floor, stopping to play in the Victorian Penny Arcade. This is an absolute MUST for visitors -- you can even change your money into old pennies -- where you can reminisce while you play Push The Penny and have your fortune told by a sinister looking mechanical gypsy.

The ground floor is home to Puddletown Pirates -- the north west's largest themed indoor play centre. Our son absolutely LOVED it here. Height restrictions apply so please check before your visit but, happily, an adult could join in with their young toddler in the ball-room. And boy did we have fun.

There's also a pirates' ship, slides and other fun stuff for the kids to play on. Puddletown Pirates also cater for kids' birthday parties and hold daily coffee mornings: 10am-11.30am for the under 4s and their parents. Botany Bay really does have something for everyone -- just allow yourself a whole day to enjoy it!

HOW TO GET THERE:

Take the Junction 8 off the M61 at Chorley

PRICES: Adults £2.50, OAPs and concessions £1.50, children 5-16 75p, children under five go free

A membership scheme is available with unlimited access for one year, £5 adults, £2.50 OAPs

Puddletown Pirates prices range from £1-£2.95 (depending on age) in term time and £2.95-£3.95 (depending on age) in non-term time

Botany Bay is open seven days a week 10am-6pm, open 10am-8pm on Wednesdays

Coffee mornings for parents with under 4s -- daily at 10am-11.30am

Further details call Botany Bay, Canal Mill, Botany Brow Chorley. Telephone 01257 261220 www.botanybay.co.uk