Locals and visitors will be able to enjoy the magical experience of seeing the Roman Baths by torchlight every evening this summer.

The Roman Baths will be opening until 10 pm every evening during July and August for a special season of Torchlit Summer Evenings, with last entry at 9 pm.

Set in the heart of the World Heritage City of Bath, the Roman Baths is an ancient temple and bathing complex on the site of Britain’s only hot spring, which still flows with naturally hot water.

Visitors can walk around the Great Bath where people bathed nearly 2,000 years ago, see the ruins of the temple of Minerva where Roman worshippers gathered, and explore the Roman Baths museum.

Run by Bath and North East Somerset Council, the Roman Baths attracts more than 1 million visitors every year, making it one of the most visited heritage attractions in the UK.

Cllr Patrick Anketell-Jones, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development, said: "The Roman Baths is one of the jewels in the UK’s cultural crown and the Torchlit Summer Evenings are a magical experience for visitors. And with free entry for Discovery Card holders, the late evening opening is a great opportunity for local residents to rediscover one of Bath’s most famous attractions, after the daytime crowds have disappeared."

The Roman Baths will be open every day in July and August from 9 am to 10 pm, with last entry at 9 pm. Entry is free for local Discovery Card holders.

Any Bath and North East Somerset residents who do not have a Discovery Card can apply for one by visiting http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/services/tourism-and-heritage/discovery-card and downloading a form.