FISH CERTAINLY haven’t had their chips at the Sea Life Centre in Scarborough.

A queue of excited youngsters and crowded galleries demonstrated the ongoing popularity of the seaside attraction.

Its position alone at the far end of Scarborough’s North Bay, looking like a clutch of mini pyramids, doesn’t affect its ability to pull in punters.

Most of those punters were pint-sized, for Sea Life has lots to amaze and enthral pre-schoolers and primary-age children.

But there was certainly enough to keep the older teenagers of my family occupied for a couple of hours.

When Sea Life Centres first opened the main attractions were the walk-through glass tunnels that allowed you to see sharks and rays all around you.

These still have a wow factor, especially with the giant turtle that soars majestically overhead, ignoring the deadlier creatures he shares the water with.

But there’s a lot more to impress at Sea Life Scarborough now that it’s expanded outside on all sides.

Penguin Island, for instance, where a colony of cuties introduced in 2015 swim, dive, preen and poop for the spectators.

Then there’s the seal enclosure, and the neighbouring hospital where Sea Life cares for rescued animals, and the Adventure mini golf course.

And finally the otter enclosure, where (eventually) a pair came out to play: I found it hard to draw myself away from watching one of them playing with a pair of magnets.

Inside Sea Life there are the trademark galleries: the large Viking-themed pool where rays glide around and pop the surface in front of your eyes, the rockpool where children can get up close with starfish, shrimps and shark eggs, and the coral reefs with their colourful fish straight out of Finding Nemo.

Sea Life has never been a fully traditional aquarium, preferring ‘hands-on’ attractions and imaginative settings rather than wall after wall of fish tanks.

But now they’ve moved even further away from the past: when I thought back after my visit I was surprised how few kinds of fish I’d seen.

This didn’t really matter, because there had been lots of eye-opening exhibits that I’d never have seen in those old-style aquariums.

The turtles for instance, several tanks with creatures of different ages, and the the Sea Dragons gallery in varied selection of seahorses.

Best of all was Jellyfish Discovery, a large number of tanks filled with jellyfish of all kinds and colours, a fascinating, restful place I could have spent hours in.

Sea Life Scarborough is open daily except Christmas Day, from 10am. Visit sealife.co.uk/scarborough or call 0871 4232110 for further information.