A HISTORIC sign that sat proudly above the world's oldest sports shop for decades has been saved from the scrapheap of the old Warrington Market.

The signage from White's Sports, which claimed the Guinness World Record for the oldest sports shop three years ago, has been recovered and could now go on display in the town.

First opened in 1901 by Warrington Wolves star Jackie Fish, White's Sports moved to Warrington Market in 1974.

When the store closed in 2014 after 113 years of trading in the town, its owners were unable to remove the signage - which had previously been sited above White's Sports' Stockton Heath store from 1972 onwards.

Following the closure of the old market earlier this month, they had assumed the sign had been lost forever.

But then an advert appeared on Facebook, with a user looking to sell it for £100.

Adam White, whose great-grandad started the business, said: "We assumed it had been thrown away and we would never see it again when the market recently shut.

"That was until we saw it advertised on Facebook for £100 - I was shocked to see this.

"I immediately contacted the seller and asked him if he would return it to the family.

"It turned out that he had shopped at White's Sports as a little boy buying catapults, tennis balls and all the sporting accessories with his pocket money most Saturdays - he has kindly agreed to drop it off with my mum."

The family are now searching for a 'worthy home' for the historic sign, which could go on display at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington Museum or the new Warrington Market.

Adam added: "I know my dad, who died 10 years ago last week, would be really pleased that it has been saved."