Adventure Forest, which owns and operates the Go Ape brand of treetop adventures, has secured a loan deal with Clydesdale Bank which will allow it to add to its single US site and expand into Australia.

The company, which currently has 26 Go Ape courses in the UK and a single site in Washington, US, has also announced plans to having 40 sites in the UK by 2012.

Go Ape hopes to open three new courses in the US while planning permission is now being sought for a first site in Australia, with plans for a further 15 in the pipeline.

Go Ape is owned by ex-army officer Tristram Mayhew who launched the venture with his wife Rebecca in 2002.

Paul Rossiter, financial director of Adventure Forest, said: "Our aim is to expand to 70 courses in the States and we have entered into an agreement with an American business partner to that end. In Australia we are seeking planning permission for our first course and are looking to have 15 or so in all."