A new Universal resort near Bedford is due to open in 2031, creating 28,000 jobs and attracting 8.5 million visitors a year.

But more than 40 years ago, a similar vision was announced just outside Corby, Northamptonshire.

Called WonderWorld, the ambitious £346m project promised a British answer to Disney – complete with themed villages, hotels, and rides designed by Monty Python's Terry Gilliam. But it never opened.

Here's what was planned, and why it was never built…

Where was WonderWorld?

In 1981, planning permission was granted for WonderWorld to be built on a 1,000-acre site at Priors Hall, about two miles (3km) north-east of Corby.

The land, part of a disused quarry once linked to the town's former steelworks, was identified as the ideal location due to strong local support.

Signs for the theme park feature in Netflix's Toxic Town, and it is mentioned in BBC podcast The Toxic Waste Scandal.

Developers Group Five described the area as the perfect home for the park, citing the "positive attitude displayed by the local and county authorities and the Commission for the New Towns".

The attraction was described as the "equivalent of America's Disneyland", and it was supposed to be an answer to unemployment in Corby following the 1980 closure of the steelworks, which led to 10,000 job losses and left nearly a third of the town out of work.

What would be in WonderWorld?

Modelled on Walt Disney World's Epcot, the attraction was to include 13 themed "villages" built around a central bowl, 700m in diameter.

Six of these were due to open in the summer of 1992, with a projected four million annual visitors and parking for 7,000 vehicles.

Plans included hi-tech rides, educational centres, themed restaurants, a conservation zone and shopping areas.

A brochure promised "a unique resort set in beautifully landscaped surroundings", with an "accent very much on participation".

In 1985, one of the architects, Derek Walker, said: "The basic ingredients [for WonderWorld] are very simple: entertainment at the very highest level. It's participatory and it's incredibly educational.

"[WonderWorld] will offer the best of British design."

Botanist David Bellamy was involved in planning a mock safari while astronomer Sir Patrick Moore was to contribute to an observatory.

The complex would house a covered 10,000-seat stadium for indoor sports, changing rooms, rugby and football pitches, and all-weather tennis courts.

There were also proposals for a family resort with hotels – 2,000 rooms in seven hotels initially, expanding to 6,000 rooms – and an 18-hole golf course with 100 holiday villas.

The park's overall goal was to launch a new leisure industry built around "British heritage, folklore, science, and innovation".

Who was building WonderWorld?

The developer behind WonderWorld was Group Five, a company that pitched the park as "a family affair" offering a broad mix of attractions to suit all ages and interests.

The first phase of construction was estimated to cost £223m, with the full development forecast to hit £346m.

A 39-month construction timeline was set, aiming for an initial opening in 1985.

Why was WonderWorld never finished?

Despite early enthusiasm, WonderWorld's momentum began to stall.

Rising costs, planning delays and difficulty securing long-term funding meant backers pulled out, and so as public investment wavered, the vision began to fade.

All that was ever erected at the site was a large WonderWorld sign and a small wooden cabin.

The land is now home to more than 1,000 houses at Priors Hall Park, and there are plans to build just more than another 5,000 houses.

"It's basically a family tradition, its something I always wanted to do…I was born and bred into the fire service."

Dave Vickress, from Leintwardine, Herefordshire, is not exaggerating – being a firefighter runs in his blood.

The tradition began with his father, Derek, who served for 32 years for Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service from 1952.

Now, Dave, 62, and his two brothers, Graham, 56, and Robert, 60, have tallied up more than 100 years of service between them as on-call firefighters at the same small station in their home village.

On-call firefighters do the role alongside full-time jobs.

Despite the trio being siblings, Dave described the dynamic with everyone at the station as being "like a family".

"I'm in charge of the station, there's 13 of us…including myself and my two brothers," he said.

"It's good, I like being in charge of them; I sometimes wonder whether they wind me up a bit."

Dave joined the service in November 1981 and worked his way up to becoming watch commander at the station, a role he has held for about 20 years.

Despite moving to Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire, 11 years ago, Dave still works on-call at Leintwardine during the week, despite a distance of more than 100 miles (161km).

"I come up early on a Monday morning and I go back down either late on a Thursday evening or on a Friday…I stop with my sister, Shirley."

His youngest brother, Graham, is about to complete 25 years of service with the brigade in August.

He joined as a firefighter and is now a crew commander but his day job is as a postman.

Middle brother Robert has been a firefighter for 27 years and is also a carer.

Their father, Derek, was what was called a leading firefighter in his day and previous service rules meant he had to retire at 55.

Dave got to spend about two-and-a-half years working alongside him before then.

"It was good, he put me in my place, I learnt a lot off him," he said.

"I was always the one that got dirty if he was in charge."

Reminiscing, Dave said much had changed over the years – from health and safety to diversity and inclusion.

"Even our fire tunics. When I joined, we had a woollen tunic and plastic leggings and rubber boots…now we have full protective equipment," he added.

With decades of service between them, the brothers have attended some well-known cases in the county.

Dave was present at a huge fire at Bedstone College in 1996 which engulfed the faculty's main building, while Graham attended the 1993 Sun Valley poultry processing factory fire.

"All three of us attended the large fire in Hereford city centre in 2010 too," said Dave.

"Very often we go out to incidents, the three of us are on the same appliance."

Despite the many years of service, Dave is thinking about winding down.

"I'd like to see a couple more years, 65 might be it," he said.

"I owe it to my wife, I've been travelling up and down now for 11 years."