ORGANISERS of a cycling festival in mid Cheshire are appealing to villages to help create Tour de France fever along the route.

The Pedal Power Festival takes place in Northwich town centre on Sunday, June 14, and includes two sportives passing through Middlewich, Winsford and the surrounding countryside.

Organisers have written to parish councils along the route to let them know about the event and encourage them to decorate their village signs and roadsides to welcome riders to each area.

Nick Jones, the festival committee's sportive organiser, said: "It's fantastic for communities, however small, to feel part of an event like this and showcase the lovely villages we have in mid Cheshire.

"People are coming from all over the north west to sample the very best that mid Cheshire has to offer with quiet lanes, quaint villages and bustling market towns - let's not let them down."

The Pedal Power Festival includes a 70-mile and a 35-mile sportive.

The 35-mile route passes through Davenham, Bostock, Winsford, Middlewich, Warmingham, Coppenhall Moss, Minshull Vernon, Church Minshull, Wettenhall, Darnhall, Winsford, Whitegate, Hartford and Castle.

The 70-mile route follows the 35-mile route but with extra loops around Eaton, Beeston and Tiverton and around Sandiway, Cuddington, Delamere, Kingsley, Norley, Crowton, Acton Bridge, Weaverham and Castle.

Nick said: "You might want to wrap bunting around your village sign, decorate an old bike and leave it chained up in the village or put signs up welcoming riders and wishing folk good luck.

"It's just to bring that Tour de France pizzazz to the route."

The event is inspired by the Guardian's Pedal Power campaign, organised by Northwich, Winsford and Middlewich town councils and backed by Northwich BID.

For more detail of the routes or to sign up to ride either of the sportives, or the five-mile family ride around Northwich Community Woodlands, visit pedalpowernorthwich.co.uk