A STUNNING 150-year-old hand-painted funfair carousel is taking pride of place in Chester’s Grosvenor Park to mark the start of the school summer holidays.

Funfair operator Pat Collins, one the country’s oldest family travelling funfairs, is installing its traditional carousel in the park from Saturday, July 23.

Traditionally, Pat Collins brings its popular funfair to the Little Roodee Car Park Chester every April/May, missing out only on 2020 due to the Covid pandemic.

Elleray Harris, marketing manager for Pat Collins Funfair, said: “We loved bringing our fair to Chester earlier this year and it is great to come back to Chester, the birthplace of the company’s founder, with our beautiful carousel, which is perfect for a traditional family day out and a great way to entertain the children during the summer holidays and make some magical memories.”

The carousel will be located by the children’s play area near the little train ride and will operate from Saturday until August 31 – continuing a tradition that started before the Covid pandemic.

Grovesnor Park is a short walk from the river and is in Grovesnor Park Road, Chester.

Elleray added: “The name Pat Collins has been synonymous with the travelling fairground business for more than a century.

"There can be few other showmen whose names resonate so immediately with families right across the Midlands, Staffordshire and Cheshire.”