A newcomer to Sandbach has described how it was "love at first sight" when he visited the town in search of a new home for his growing family.

Daniel McNicol, a Stockport-native, moved to Sandbach with his Spanish wife Bel last October and had their baby son Bruno the following month.

Daniel said: "When lockdown started last year, we suddenly realised how little space there was in the area that we were in and we've always wanted to find somewhere that is more semi-rural with lots of open space."

The couple had settled on finding a place within a reasonable commute to Manchester, where they work.

"We had a look at places like Northwich and Middlewich and then finally we visited Sandbach and it was almost like love at first sight, which is a bit of a cliché," Daniel said.

He added: "It's got a lot of nice buildings and there is so much history to it. From the outside, most people would just associate it with the service station, but it's really nice to see how much of a buzzing town there is with lots of bars and a younger scene while still maintaining its history."

It was also Sandbach's family-friendly environment that attracted the couple to our town.

Daniel, who works as a financial analyst, said: "Sandbach felt like a really great place to raise a family and a new child.

"We've moved onto the new Abbeyfield estate and at the start I was a bit wary about how locals might feel about the new developments going on around the town, but so far everyone has been so welcoming and really friendly. It just sealed the deal that it is such a warm and welcoming town."

The area they live in also has other young families, so the couple are confident baby Bruno will grow up with plenty of friends around.

Despite having lived here for over six months, Daniel and Bel haven't had an opportunity to experience the town in its entirety because of the lockdowns.

Daniel has used the time to expand on his photography, including snapping shots of the town centre and the nature at Tatton Park.

He describes Sandbach as having the "perfect combination of everything" when it comes to its "flourishing town centre", good schools and access to the countryside while only being 40 minutes down the motorway from where he grew up.

"I really can't see a downside to this place, so everything just excites me. It seems like a great place for the family with a community spirit. We're in a Facebook group for our road and everyone's always talking to each other even though we've barely physically met," Daniel said.

The new father added: "It seems like the town is embracing the fact that it is growing, albeit with the traffic implications that brings."