WARRINGTON'S hidden places are being revealed as part of England's largest heritage festival.

Eleven venues across the town centre, including the Town Hall, Warrington Wolves’ Halliwell Jones Stadium and St Elphin’s Church, are taking part in Heritage Open Days.

There will be special events and the chance to look behind the scenes in various buildings from September 8 to 11 thanks to a partnership between Culture Warrington and Warrington Civic Society.

The idea is to give the public an opportunity to celebrate their community’s history and culture in a different way.

Michelle Hill, collections and archives manager at Warrington Museum, said: “The Heritage Open Days festival gives the public the chance to explore the town’s hidden places and its culture and heritage.

"This is the first year Warrington has had such a large and coordinated offer from a diverse range of heritage partners and I’m really excited to see the event become bigger and better than ever before.

"This year we’ve got everything from costumed tours and visits behind the scenes to organ recitals and corn dolly-making demonstrations."

Among the events on offer at Warrington Museum are a time travel day complete with stormtroopers and daleks, workshops on how to date family photos, and the launch of a new Cabinet of Curiosities display, curated by Warrington Youth Club, which explores the issues they face day-to-day.

Historic buildings such as The Friends Meeting House, The Warrington Club and St Mary’s Shrine Church will also be throwing open their doors to provide a rare opportunity to explore inside.

Other highlights include an open day at The Museum of Policing in Cheshire where visitors get to see what it was like to be behind bars back in the Victorian era.

There will be a whole host of police artefacts from the past and present, including handcuffs and shackles, murder weapons, uniforms and equipment.

Youngsters can also play detective and have their fingerprints taken.

There will also be a talk by Latchford author Gill Hoffs on her book about historic shipwrecks, one being the Tayleur which was built at Bank Quay, and access to The British Deaf History Society’s museum and archive.

For more information on the timetable of events visit warringtonmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/event/heritage-open-days