Halton celebrates its 50th Anniversary anniversary next month, and the Widnes Vikings mascot has been helping to get everyone in the birthday spirit.
The borough was officially formed on April 1, 1974 and a year of events has been planned to mark the occasion.
One of the activities is the '50 Things’ project, which aims to highlight some of the borough’s famous locations as well as its hidden gems. As part of the launch, the Widnes Vikings mascot Kemik the Viking was spotted out and about to highlight some of the local sites and areas of interest.
The list includes sites such as the Childe of Hale statue in Hale Village, Halton Castle and the Mad Hatter statue in Daresbury. Victoria Park's butterfly house is also on the list, as is the Studio music and arts venue in Widnes.
The club has also teamed up with Visit Halton to create a competition for fans who visit most of the 50 Quirky Things around the borough, wearing their kit.
They could win a signed ball by the Vikings first team and two tickets to their final home game. To enter, post your photos exploring the 50 Quirky Things, TAG @visithalton and @widnesrl and use the #HaltonHighlights Competition Closes - September 1.
Visit Halton has also launched its monthly competition, throughout 2024 to promote the 50 Quirky Things giving visitors the chance to win prizes. To enter, post your photo exploring the 50 Quirky Things, TAG @visithalton and use the #HaltonHighlights.
Councillor Paul Nolan, executive board member for culture at Halton Borough Council, said: "The 50 Quirky Things initiative is an exciting way of celebrating the 50th anniversary.
"We're encouraging everyone, from local residents to visitors from outside the borough, to get out and explore the distinctive and exciting experiences that make Halton a unique destination."
The borough of Halton was officially formed on April 1, 1974 but before that Widnes was administered by the Municipal Borough of Widnes in Lancashire, and Runcorn by Runcorn Urban District Council in Cheshire. Both were combined together following a shake-up of how areas of England were administered.
The name of the new district was inspired by the ancient Barony of Halton which had possessed land on both sides of the river. On April 1, 1998 there was a further development when Halton became a unitary authority, independent of Cheshire County Council.
Read more about the 50 Quirky Things at www.visithalton.co.uk
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