A town centre was "packed" with thousands of people as its annual Soapbox Challenge returned following a two-year Covid-hiatus. 

Lancashire Telegraph:

Amazing Accrington's wonderfully wacky Accrington Soapbox Challenge was held in Accrington town centre on Saturday, with leader of the council, Miles Parkinson estimating around 15,000 people flocked to the town.

The event saw competitors challenged to create a four-wheeled non-motorised Soapbox vehicle using only gravity for fuel and speed.

And while each Soapbox needed a form of steering, the ability to brake and competitor safety helmets, aside from that, there were no rules, with the first to reach the finishing line crowned winners. 

Lancashire Telegraph:

This year's winner was the team from Emerson and Renwick with their Chicken Run themed entry, completing the course in just over 17 seconds.

Heath Groves, CEO of Sundown Solutions one of the event sponsors said: "This was possibly the best event ever hosted in Accrington over this last decade - to see the entire community brought together like this is simply fantastic."

READ MORE: All the best bits from the Accrington Soapbox Challenge

Lancashire Telegraph:

The 170-metre long track included jumps, water jumps, and pitlanes, and although not every team made it round the course in one piece, the jovial atmosphere, the weather, and the applause made it all worth the while.

Even BBC Radio Lancashire's Graham Liver and Sharon Hartley took part, in their vehicle, named Morning Glory.

Leader of Hyndburn Council, Miles Parkinson OBE said: "Amazing Accrington have done it again. I’ve never seen the town so packed there must be more than 15,000 in the town. What a fantastic day."

Lancashire Telegraph:

Entries on the day saw Wacky Races Dick Dastardly inspired creations, as well as a team from St Christopher's CofE High School.

Sara Britcliffe, MP for Hyndburn and Haslingden said: "What a fantastic event we’ve got here in Accrington with the Soapbox Challenge.

Lancashire Telegraph:

"Huge thank you to Amazing Accrington. Huge crowds here, this is what we like to see - town square, the town centre and all the shops being used - so thank you to everyone involved.”

This year's Soapbox Challenge also featured The CODE Show, a local coding roadshow which celebrates how 1980’s Britain embraced the home computer - an exclusive first for Accrington.

The Code show was held in the Market Hall and included 25 gaming devices which were free to use.

Gary McNab, from The Code Show said: "Thank you very much to Amazing Accrington, it’s been a fabulous day. It’s been wonderful to see children embracing coding and parents recalling their memories of using their computers."
Lancashire Telegraph: