A CAMPAIGN to encourage Winsford and Middlewich residents to return their register of electors forms early has been a huge success thanks to Vale Royal Borough Council's cuddly mascot, Wilbur Wyvern.

Everyone in the borough received their forms between August 8 and 23, with Wilbur promotional material urging residents to return them before September 11.

All the names on the forms returned were put into a special computer and Wilbur pressed the button to select three lucky winners of cash prizes.

The campaign has encouraged an extra 6,000 people onto the register compared to the same time last year and coincides with the Government's plans to improve local democracy and encourage a higher turn-out of voters at elections.

Clr Arthur Neil, leader of the council, said that the campaign had been a tremendous success and produced a more efficient, effective and accurate canvas.

"We want to see local democracy improved with more people in Vale Royal taking an interest in local government," he said.

A draft register of electors will be published on November 27, and can be inspected at local libraries, post offices, and any council office.

Anyone who has failed to register will have until December 15 to make a claim to be included.

The final register will be printed on February 15, 1999, and used for the borough, parish and Euro elections next year.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.