Whaley Bridge volunteer petallers decorate wells dressing board

Wells dressing returned to Whaley Bridge for the first time in four years and there was lots of new faces to keep the tradition going.

Jill Malzard said: “We were worried bringing it back that no one would come and help out and it would be a lot of work for just a few volunteers but we had a great turnout.

"We had some younger people as well and everyone left their numbers and said they wanted to get involved next year too which is really good.

"Some people gave just an hour or so of their time and others more but I’m so pleased with the turnout and I really glad we took a risk and brought it back.”This year’s theme is Paddington Bear to coincide with the nations favourite bear’s 70th anniversary.

Jill said: “Every year we like to mark a milestone or celebrate an anniversary and speaking to people in the town they have loved seeing the wells dressing board up again.”Whaley first started having a wells dressing board in 2000 to mark the millennium and Jill has been a volunteer petaller - a person who decorates the clay boards with flower petals - for over ten years.

The board is still on display by the phone box on Jodrell carpark for people to enjoy.

Jill added: “We started a bit late this year but next year we will start earlier now we know we have the volunteers.”