The Urbis museum of city life, based in Manchester, has reported radically increased visitor numbers.

The attraction predicts that 250,000 people will have visited Urbis by the end of the year, which would represent a 45 per cent rise on 2005.

It is postulated that the 0161 Manchester exhibit running from July to October this year – featuring stories, ideas, memories and thoughts from the people of Manchester about what it means to be Mancunian – may have boosted local interest in the centre.