It was an excited parishioner in my previous parish who first drew my attention to Warrington Walking Day. She and her family had attended when one of her granddaughters was taking part and she was thrilled with the event. That was five years ago. Little did I know at the time that I would one day be sharing in the experience as a parish priest.

The columns of your newspaper have kept the local community informed of the discussions that effectively called for a scaling down of the event. Concern at the cost of policing and public liability insurance and traffic management being cited as reasons for this. Thankfully, the authorities concerned heeded the expressed views of townspeople as well as participants to ensure that the event this year was as good as it has been for a long time. The borough council, its officers and contractors as well as the police deserve credit for the contribution they made to this success.

There is no doubt that a significant number of Warrington residents value this tradition, which gives the town a distinct day in the calendar. Long may the partnership between the authorities, schools, churches and other faith communities produce such an enjoyable event.

Fr Peter Montgomery

Parish Priest of Our Lady and St Augustine of Canterbury