DELIGHTED Bridge2Barnton campaigners are seeking more support despite hitting their petition target a month early.

A petition launched by Barnton Parish Council for a second bridge across the River Weaver between Barnton and Winnington has attracted about 3,300 names in two months online and on paper.

That number is required to trigger a discussion on a second bridge at Cheshire West and Chester Council.

However parish council chairman Dilys Hooper wants as many names as possible on the petition to show the strength of public backing for a second bridge and to give the campaign more weight.

Six members of the public and four parish councillors, including Cllr Hooper, will be collecting signatures in Northwich town centre on Saturday, August 22, between 10am and 3pm.

More people are being invited to join the event to help collect as many signatures as possible on the day.

“We will have 10 people collecting in the town centre, but we would like as many volunteers as possible to help,” said Cllr Hooper.

“We are not expecting people to stay there for the whole time, and any time they can give will be gratefully received.”

The paper petition runs alongside an e-petition on Cheshire West's website, which ends on September 4 and has attracted 1,300 names.

Paper petitions are at shops in Barnton and neighbouring communities, and have been signed by about 2,000 people from the businesses from which sheets have been collected, including more than 350 names from Winnington Convenience Store.

There are another 15 businesses with petition sheets which are yet to be collected.

“I am delighted at the number of people who have signed, and Willows Garage has also a done a terrific job, with the number of petition sheets which have been filled in there being unbelievable,” she said.

“However we don’t want to stop at 3,300, and need to attract an overwhelming number of names to give us a stronger voice and to show how important the issue is.”

Anyone who would like to help collect signatures in the town centre can ring 07792 560342.

Petition forms are available in Barnton at the Spar garage, the launderette, Coopers Hair Centre, Eastern Spice, The Paper Shop, Steve’s Hair Centre, Hormbreys butchers, the Co-op and the library.

They are also available in Winnington at Winnington Convenience Store and Winnington Brownies, the launderette in Weaverham, Sound Technique in Sandiway, Arriva Buses Northwich/Winsford in Northwich and Chartoria Hair Design in Castle.