A POLL asking residents if they would like to see Padgate Walking Day go ahead has attracted thousands of votes.

Resident and supervisor at The Dog & Partridge pub in Paddington, Nathan Hepper, has started a Facebook poll with the hope of convincing organisers of the event to have a change of heart.

News of the cancellation of the decades-old tradition was announced last Wednesday (May 22) when Churches Together confirmed that it was due to a lack of organisers and volunteers and a concern for safeguarding issues.

And since the announcement, it has had a ripple affect among the community, with many speaking out on the devastation of it not going ahead as planned in June.

 Nathan, 39, is one of many Pagdate residents' who is passionate about the Walking Day, having attended the event for more than three decades.

He has decided to take action and started up a Facebook group titled ‘Padgate Walking Day’.

On the group, he began a poll asking residents ‘should Padgate Walking Day go ahead’.

So far, an overwhelming 2147 people have voted yes to the event going ahead, while 94 people voted against the idea.

The poll has attracted hundreds of shares and residents have spoken out on the post on the decision for the event to be axed this year.

Speaking on his decision to start the poll, Nathan said: “Me and my family have attended every Padgate Walking Day since I can remember.

"It is such an important community tradition dating back to the 1830s that brings people and families together and if it is cancelled, we might lose a long-standing tradition forever. 

“The poll/petition I have put online has over 2000 votes already to try change the minds of the schools and people with the power and influence to overturn the decision to cancel.

 “Also, we have a local Councillor trying to overturn the decision, so let's pull together and show everyone that we as a town on the whole want this walk to go ahead.”

Nathan is not alone in his longing for the walk to return this year as it has done for hundreds of years prior.

One resident commented on the petition stating that it is a ‘tradition worth fighting for’, while another said, ‘it’s a tradition that should be handed down the generations’.

Meanwhile, councillor for Poulton North, Sue Emery, called for an emergency meeting with the organisers and has asked for those willing to volunteer and help out with the event to speak up now.

Speaking with the Warrington Guardian last week she said: “I have had a big response from members of the community. They want to get involved.

“It would be a shame if it was cancelled. The churches have said they will re-convene to organise it for next year. It is hard because the churches are struggling for volunteers.”

If you would like to vote on the poll, visit the link here.