More than 150 schoolchildren took part in a feast of popular sports organised by Sandbach Police Station, 'The Salt Wars' named after the area's rich salt heritage.

Run in partnership with Premier League Kicks and Crewe Alexandra Football Club, the free event involving football, rounders and rugby saw youngsters aged between 10 and 16 from Sandbach, Middlewich, Holmes Chapel and the surrounding areas do battle for the Salt Wars Cup.

Children competed against each other at three separate events at Sandbach School, Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School and Middlewich High School with the winners announced at a celebratory event at Crewe Alexander's Soccer Centre last weekend. The area of Sandbach won the Salt Wars Cup.

And PCSOs from Sandbach Police station, who organised the event, have been given a pat on the back by Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire John Dwyer, who handed out the trophies and medals at the celebratory event last Saturday.

Mr Dwyer said: "I had the pleasure of joining Sandbach PCSOs for their annual Salt Wars event.

"Building a positive relationship between local policing and communities is so important. I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who made the event a success and well done to all the children that took part."

Clayton Parker, from Wimboldsley, was the overall individual winner while Ella Smart, 12, and Jessica Hulson, 10, from Alsager finished second and third respectively and 13-year-old Emily Edgar from Sandbach won the penalty shootout.

All four will receive a reward during the half-time interval of Crewe Alexandra FC's home League One game against Burton Albion on September 18th.

Chief Inspector Rob Dickinson, who overlooks policing in the Sandbach area, said: "Salt Wars is a free event that our Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) run with support from partner agencies to help children stay active and healthy and have fun.

"Restrictions imposed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic severely limited the amount of sport that children have been able to play over the past year or so.

"It was great seeing so many of them having fun at the third annual Salt Wars 2021, which was the biggest and best yet."