Supermarket chain Lidl wants to open a new store in Widnes, and is offering a reward which could be in the region of £22k for anyone who can suggest a suitable location.

The German retail giant is yet to set up shop in the town, despite having a presence across the water in Runcorn.

The sixth biggest supermarket in the UK, the company aims to reach 1,100 stores by the end of 2025 and said Widnes is now one of the towns on its priority list.

A spokesperson for Lidl said said: "Widnes is on our site requirements list, which means while we’re interested in coming to the area - we’re still searching for an appropriate location."

The spokesperson said the firm is now offering a 'finder's fee' for any member of the public who can suggest a spot for a new Widnes store, if it is eventually found to be suitable.

The company said the fee would be either 1.5% of the total freehold purchase price or 10% of first year’s rent for leaseholds, which would equate to £22,500 for a completed £1.5m site purchase.

Richard Taylor, Chief Development Officer at Lidl GB, said: "There are still communities up and down the country that are telling us how much they want and need a Lidl store.

"We work with some of the best people in the industry to identify new sites, but we also know how engaged our future and existing customers are and we want to build on this.

"Our finder’s fees are, therefore, available to absolutely anyone that can identify a viable option for a new store that we’re not already aware of."

Members of the public who know of potential sites are encouraged to check details against Lidl’s site requirements and contact the supermarket’s property team with further details. More information can be found here.