THE key final section of the Blackburn’s orbital route, the Freckleton Street link road, will be officially named ‘Wainwright Way’.

A ceremony next Monday will mark the teenage town hall worker turned walker and Lake District expert Alfred’s links with the town.

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The £7million highway finally opened to traffic in February, finally connecting Blackburn’s £12million ‘Bridge to Nowhere’, which is also named after the author with Towns Moor, Montague Street and King Street.

Born in 1907, Wainwright lived the first 34 years of his life in Blackburn, attending Accrington Road and Blakey Moor Schools before starting work in 1920 at Blackburn Town Hall, aged 13.

He worked there as an accountancy assistant until 1941 when he moved to Kendal for work.

Mr Wainwright’s early passion for walking ignited in Blackburn as he ventured into the surrounding countryside, including Darwen Tower and the Ribble Valley.

He achieved lasting fame as the writer and illustrator of guides to the Lake District, known as ‘Walkers Bibles’ and devised the ‘Coast to Coast Walk’.

Between 1955 and 1990 Mr Wainwright created 50 books, guides and sketchbooks detailing areas of Northern England and Scotland.

He also took part in several television series about the Lake District.

The naming ceremony will be attended by his great niece Ms Collinge and members of the Wainwright Society.

Derek Cockell, secretary of The Wainwright Society, said: “We are delighted that Alfred Wainwright is being honoured in this way by his home town.”