- published: 26 Feb 2010
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Staffordshire (/ˈstæfədʃɪər/ or /ˈstæfədʃə/; abbreviated Staffs) is a landlocked county in the West Midlands of England. The Cannock Chase AONB is situated within the county and also parts of the National Forest, as well as areas of the Peak District national park. It adjoins Cheshire to the north west, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, Warwickshire to the south east, West Midlands and Worcestershire to the south and Shropshire to the west.
The largest city in Staffordshire is Stoke-on-Trent, which is administered separately from the rest of the county as an independent unitary authority. Lichfield also has city status, although this is a considerably smaller cathedral city. Major towns include Stafford (the county town), Burton upon Trent, Cannock, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Leek and Tamworth.
Wolverhampton, Walsall, West Bromwich and Smethwick were historic Staffordshire towns until local government reorganisation created the West Midlands county in 1974.
Apart from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire is divided into the districts of Cannock Chase, East Staffordshire, Lichfield, Newcastle-under-Lyme, South Staffordshire, Stafford, Staffordshire Moorlands, and Tamworth.
Alton Towers Resort, commonly referred to as Alton Towers, is a theme park, water park, and hotel complex in Staffordshire, England. It is operated by Merlin Entertainments. The site opened in 1860 with flower shows and garden tours until a theme park was built on the site in 1980.
The theme park opened on 4 April 1980. The park operates nine roller coasters, including Nemesis, Oblivion, Rita, Thirteen, and The Smiler. In 2016, Air will be rethemed as Galactica, as the "world's first virtual reality roller coaster".
A themed hotel, the Alton Towers Hotel, opened in 1996. It was followed in 2003 by the Caribbean-themed Splash Landings Hotel with an adjoining water park. A development of woodland lodges was completed in 2015, as the Enchanted Village. The resort also includes conference facilities and a crazy golf course.
On most days, the theme park operates between 10am and 5pm, however operating hours can change based on expected attendance. The park hosts special events throughout the year, such as concert nights, a Scarefest event for Halloween, and an end-of-season fireworks display.