Cheshirecounty

Elections to fill two parish council seats will take place in Warrington next Thursday, 12 November, with voting between 7am and 10pm. One seat is for Penketh Parish Council's East ward, contested by Nigel Catlow and Jack Thwaites. The other is for Great Sankey Parish Council's Liverpool Road ward, with candidates Dileep Nair and Eunice Peters.

Residents of Great Sankey are invited to join a community litter pick on Sunday, November 15 at 10am. The event will meet at the Leisure Centre car park off Lingley Green Avenue at 9.45am. Under-18s are welcome if accompanied by an adult.

Victoria Park in Warrington was created on land reclaimed from a former bend in the River Mersey. The bend, once called 'Hell Hole' or Old Warps, was notorious among river traders for its slow currents and hidden mudbanks that stranded vessels and delayed cargoes. Engineers straightened the river in 1724, and the abandoned riverbed gradually filled with silt. Warrington Council purchased the estate in 1895 and opened it as a public park in 1897 to mark Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.

The former Ring O' Bells pub in Lower Stretton has been put on the commercial rental market for £15,000 a year, months after the council refused permission to demolish it. The property on Northwich Road is being advertised as a Class E unit suitable for uses including a shop, café, restaurant or office. An application to knock down the historic building and replace it with a community-use premises was rejected by Warrington Borough Council last year, citing concerns over highway safety, parking and servicing arrangements.

The government has announced plans to establish eight regional water councils to increase community involvement in water and flood infrastructure decisions. United Utilities, a major water company, has backed the proposal, stating it will bring decision-making closer to the communities it serves. The company already operates through county-based teams across the North West, working with local authorities and community groups on projects like the Only Rainwater solution for Windermere.

Phonics Spell, a Warrington children's activity group, has been shortlisted for the 'Most Loved Academic or Creative Activity' category at the 2026 What's On 4 Kids National Children's Activities Awards. Founded by Jenny Priestley in November 2022, the group provides educational classes for two- to five-year-olds designed to develop early reading and writing skills. The winners will be announced at a ceremony at the Athena in Leicester on 26 November.

Santa-themed boat cruises are coming to Cheshire waterways this December. The National Waterways Museum and Canal & River Trust are offering 45-minute cruises on the Shropshire Union Canal in Ellesmere Port, where children visit Santa's grotto and receive gifts, priced from £8.50 to £12.50. Similar cruises will run at the Anderton Boat Lift near Northwich on the River Weaver, with tickets at £10 for adults and £15 for children.

Mirza Umar has resubmitted plans to convert Last Orders on Park Lane from a pub into a convenience store, after Cheshire East planners refused the original application in summer. The new submission includes a sequential assessment concluding no other suitable sites are available. The scheme also proposes entrance alterations and disabled access, with the existing external features of the building to remain unchanged.

The annual Freemen and Guilds Awards have recognised achievements of Cheshire College – South & West students across disciplines including construction, motor vehicle, hospitality, creative arts and applied science. The ceremony, held at the College's Ellesmere Port Campus, continues a 58-year partnership between the College and the Freemen and Guilds of the City of Chester, an organisation established in the 12th century to support local trades and craftsmanship.

Reform UK told a meeting in Warrington that the town is in an 'even stronger position' than St Helens had been before taking control of that council in May following years of Labour rule. St Helens Council leader Cllr George Woodward said Reform is 'beginning to make a difference' despite financial pressures, citing a deep-cleaning programme and measures to restrict house multiple occupancies.

Disney Store Pop Up is opening at Cheshire Oaks designer outlet in Ellesmere Port on 12 November at 11am. The store will sell Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars merchandise including toys, apparel, accessories, collectibles and dress-up collections, with discounts of up to 40 per cent on selected items.

Therme Manchester, a £500 million wellbeing resort, is under construction at TraffordCity near Northwich. The Northwich Guardian reports that foundations are now visible for the three main zones—Play, Restore, and Relax—with cranes on site. The resort is expected to open in 2029 and attract around two million visitors annually, featuring 10 pools, 18 water slides, 20 saunas and steam rooms, and a 53,000 square-foot wellbeing garden across 680,000 square feet.

Kaylan, 15, was reported missing from Stoke-on-Trent on Saturday 31 October. He is believed to have travelled to the Wilmslow and south Cheshire areas since disappearing. Police are appealing for anyone with information about his whereabouts to contact them.

A 52-year-old man has been arrested after a 79-year-old woman was found dead at an address in Warrington. Police were called at around 1.40pm on Wednesday to concerns for the woman's safety at Myddleton Lane in Winwick. The man remains in custody and is assisting officers with their enquiries.

Cheshire Police raided an abandoned building on Newton Bank in Middlewich on Wednesday, 4 November, and seized a large number of cannabis plants. PC Adam Archer said the premises was capable of producing around 70kg of cannabis per year with a potential street value of over £800,000 annually. Police said the operation was one of many carried out to prevent illegal drugs entering the community.

Police have launched a murder probe following the death of a 79-year-old woman found at an address on Myddleton Lane in Winwick, Warrington, on Wednesday afternoon. A 52-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is in custody assisting with enquiries. Detective Inspector Robert Lees said the incident is believed to be isolated and no one else is being sought.

Northwich Firefest, taking place at Verdin Park on Saturday, November 7, is the biggest Bonfire Night event planned in Cheshire West. Organised by Northwich Town Council, gates open at 5pm, with the bonfire lit at 6.30pm and fireworks at 7.30pm. Adult tickets cost £10 and children's £5. Several other displays are scheduled across the region, including events at Witton Albion FC on November 5, Cheshire County Showground on November 6, and Runcorn Golf Club and Berries Cafe on November 7.

Therme Manchester, a £500 million wellbeing resort under construction at TraffordCity near Warrington, is beginning to take visible shape on its 28-acre site with foundations now visible for three main zones: Play, Restore, and Relax. Work is about to begin on the first main pool in the northern Relax zone. The resort is scheduled to open in 2029 and is expected to attract around two million visitors per year.

Tom Kelly appeared before Chester Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to failing in his duty of care in relation to waste. Fly-tipped waste was discovered at Warkworth Court, Ellesmere Port, on 8 August 2025. Kelly stated he had passed the waste to another person for disposal, saying it had not been disposed of correctly, resulting in the fly-tip. He expressed remorse. Magistrates fined him £200 and ordered him to pay £400 in costs and an £80 victim surcharge.

Ramayana: Rise of a Legend, a retelling of the ancient Indian epic, will screen at Vue Cheshire Oaks from 6 to 8 November during Diwali. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor, Yash and Sai Pallavi, and is directed by Nitesh Tiwari, who made Dangal. It features visual effects by DNEG, the company behind Dune and Inception. Vue is also screening Tamil and Malayalam films during the Diwali weekend, with tickets from £7.99.

Residents of postcode WA12 0DR in Newton-le-Willows have won £1,000 in the Postcode Lottery draw. The Warrington Guardian reports that those living on Rob Lane with an active Postcode Lottery subscription are eligible for the prize. The subscription lottery, which costs £12 per month, raises money for charities while offering daily prizes of £1,000 to winners across 20 postcodes.

A 30-year-old man was seriously injured in an assault on Gerrard Avenue in Bewsey, Warrington on Saturday afternoon at 1.30pm, the Warrington Guardian reports. He was taken to hospital but has since been discharged. Police are appealing for witnesses and any dashcam, CCTV or video doorbell footage. The suspect was described as a white man around 5ft 4in tall, of slim build, with a medium-length beard and local accent, wearing a dark tracksuit and baseball cap.

Chester Racecourse has announced its 2027 fixture dates and frozen ticket prices, allowing racegoers to book 2027 events at 2026 rates. General admission and hospitality tickets went on sale with prices starting from £11 for the Roodee enclosure. The season opens with the three-day Boodles May Festival on 5th–7th May, alongside returning fixtures including Music Weekend and Ladies Day, plus a new Cheshire Racing Festival.

Chester's Christmas Market opens on November 18, with the 12 Days of Christmas parade marking the official start on November 19. Cheshire West and Chester Council has announced parking restrictions and closures in the city centre from November 12 to support market construction. A new council-operated car park replaces the closed market car park, accessible from Hunter Street, with charges ranging from £1.50 for evening parking to £1.50 per hour during daytime hours.

High schools across Cheshire are being urged to join the Cheshire Water Safety Champions Programme, funded by Police and Crime Commissioner Dan Price and delivered by Water Safety Matters. Each school will nominate one staff member and two pupils to attend free training featuring interactive workshops and practical sessions in a swimming pool, then return as ambassadors. The scheme aims to change behaviour by encouraging young people to influence their peers rather than relying solely on adult-led safety messages. Dan Price said the programme is 'one of the first in the UK' and puts Cheshire 'at the forefront of water safety education'.

Frodsham's Main Street is launching its first-ever Twilight Christmas Market, running on six consecutive Thursdays from November 12 to December 17, from 4pm to 8pm. The market will feature Christmas gifts, artisanal goods, hot street food, live music and performances from local choirs, with Santa also making an appearance. Organised by D&D Artisan Markets with Frodsham's Royal Market Charter, it will showcase local traders and businesses from across the area.

Two men have been charged in connection with the supply of cocaine and cannabis following arrests in Middlewich. Ashley Grant, 33, of Manchester, was arrested at a petrol station, while Tony Whitehead, 44, of Middlewich, was arrested at a property. Both men face two counts of concern in the supply of cocaine and concern in the supply of cannabis, with Grant also accused of possession of cocaine and Whitehead of possession of cannabis. They are due to appear before Chester Magistrates Court on Thursday, 5 November.