Half term fun in Burscough and Bootle

This doubles the waterside fun over October half term week with canoe and angling taster sessions and heritage walks at both Burscough Wharf and Bootle's SAFE Regeneration centre, at the former Little Merton pub, near Waverley Street, on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.

The activity week finishes on Saturday October 31 with lots of spooky fun at a Community Halloween Day at the Bootle hub (1 – 4pm).

New angling skills

The weekend events include a full range of waterside activities but during the week, would-be anglers can learn new skills in morning sessions (10am -12) and afternoon sessions (1-3pm). These will be held at the Grove Youth Club, Burscough Wharf, on Monday and Thursday, and at the Bootle hub on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

The activity days form part of a five year project to create The Desmond Family Canoe Trail across the Pennines. Funded by a £1.3 million grant from the Desmond Foundation, the 150 mile trail starts in Liverpool, follows Britain's longest canal, the Leeds & Liverpool, links into the Aire & Calder Navigation in Yorkshire and finally reaches the east coast at Goole.

Greg Brookes, Coast to Coast project manager with the Canal & River Trust, said: “These events offer a fantastic opportunity to try a new activity or find out about the canal heritage and wildlife. All the activities are free. People don't need to book, just turn up and sign up on the day.”

“Both the new Burscough Wharf and the Bootle SAFE Regeneration centre will continue as canal activity hubs set up as part of The Desmond Family Canoe Trail project. These events are not just a one-off and in future the centres will be hosting free canoeing sessions and other activities. We would like everyone to come along and see what's on offer. Children will need to be accompanied by an adult.”