A blue plaque is to be unveiled celebrating an historic victory for rights of way campaigners in the borough.

It will commemorate a famous court victory for Flixton residents when they successfully stopped Squire Ralph Wright from closing Bottoms Footpath in 1827.

The plaque will be unveiled by Mayor of Trafford Cllr Laurence Walsh at Trafford Council's Flixton House building on Monday, November 15.

The case marked the culmination of several years of campaigning by local residents who opposed Mr Wright's decision to block the use of footpaths across his land, which included what is today Flixton Park.

The Flixton Footpath Battle, as it was known, took place in 1826 and saw the residents win their case and led to the creation of the Manchester Association for the Preservation of Ancient Footpaths, one of the earliest societies of this type.

The story made the national press and was a watershed moment for rights of way campaigners throughout the UK.

The plaque will be attached to Flixton House, Mr Wright's former residence, and will represent the first blue plaque to be unveiled by the council since the pandemic began.

Blue plaques are placed at locations to indicate a link between the place and an historic person or event.

Cllr Liz Patel, Trafford Council's executive member for culture and leisure, said: "The Flixton Footpath Battle was an historic victory for residents opposed to the blocking up of footpaths in the area and is quite rightly seen as a huge turning point for rights of way campaigners.

"The fact this court victory happened in Trafford is of major importance to us as a Council and for that reason we are erecting a blue plaque to mark the event.

"We are only free to roam today because of the hard work of campaigners like those in Flixton in 1827."

BBC Radio 6 presenter Stuart Maconie, who is the President of the Ramblers Association - a leading walking charity -Tb will be sending a video message on the day and is set to mention the event in his column in Country Walking magazine.

Flixton House, now owned by Trafford council, hosts weddings and events and is a Grade II listed building.