A FLOTILLA of canal boats from Lymm carried the first water-borne shoppers to The Trafford Centre.

Sixteen narrow boats from Lymm Cruising Club came via the Bridgewater Canal to the shopping centre.

Bosses at the centre had prepared for the crews by cutting a walkway through a grassy bank, fitting gates, and turfing the area ready for the special arrival.

The centre's tail-coated meeters and greeters were on-hand to welcome the new wave of guests.

Organiser of the event Lily Williams, commodore at the cruising club, said: "We've been organising this trip for the last 18 months, because we wanted to do something different to the norm.

“Our club has been going for 55 years, and this is our first shopping cruise.”