The Right-wing mayor of the town Mussolini was born in is pushing to have the dictator's crypt open to the public all year round. Mussolini, the future il Duce, was born in the northern Italian town of Predappio, near Bologna, in 1883. He was buried there after he was killed by partisans in northern Italy at the end of World War II.

The crypt will be opened to the public on July 29 to mark the anniversary of his birth. The mayor of Predappio, Roberto Canali, is working with Mussolini's family members to promote the site.

Mr Canali said he wanted to promote the tomb as a tourist attraction to boost the local economy. The crypt has been closed since 2017 and Mr Canali says businesses have suffered from a fall in visitors to the area.

“We are hoping for a permanent opening but that decision can only be taken by the relatives of Mussolini. As a council we are fully available,” he said. Rachele Mussolini, the dictator’s granddaughter and a Rome councilor aligned with the far-Right Brothers of Italy party, said it was an ideal occasion to push for the tomb to be opened year round.