Blackpool International Airport has been put up for sale by its owners, Balfour Beatty.

The firm, which purchased the airport in 2008, said its strategy had changed and it wanted to end its involvement in running regional airports.

A statement released by the airport said services and flights to and from Blackpool will continue as normal during the sale process.

London-based restructuring specialist Zolfo Cooper is to handle the sale and is seeking expressions of interest before September 10th, the Blackpool Gazette reports.

A spokesman said: "We are pleased to have been appointed to this role and we will be working closely now with the management team of the airport to identify and evaluate appropriate expressions of interest."

Balfour Beatty has invested nearly £30 million in the airport since acquiring the site, but passenger numbers have dwindled from a peak of 500,000 in 2007 and it has continued to make an annual loss.