MIDDLEWICH’S year of events kicked off with the annual New Year’s Day treasure hunt on Sunday.

Forty teams turned out to compete for the Christina Wakefield Charity Shield, which organiser Mel Smith discovered was named in memory of the event’s founder.

Christina’s family members were involved in this year’s competition, and will be given the current shield once it is filled up.

Family team ‘Chubby’s Christmas Chickens’ won the event, with a total of £527 raised to be shared between St Luke’s Hospice and the St Michael and All Angel’s Church restoration fund.

Mel said: “Everyone has said they loved it and are keen to keep it going next year. The winning team are going to do the questions, this time.

“I was very nervous, I have to confess, because it’s difficult to know whether you have catered for everyone.

“The feedback was that people liked finding out information about the town that they weren’t aware of.

“Terry and Christina set it up the year before she died. They were involved in a lot of charity things and unfortunately the following year she died.

“They didn’t fully realise it was still going – they have contacts in Middlewich and have asked for the shield when it has been filled up. Everyone is very supportive of that.”

The 2017 event, run by Mel after the traditional organisers – last year’s winners – declined to do so, was held in a Trivial Pursuit style, with pubs used as bases for competitors to ask and answer questions.

Search Middlewich Charity Shield on Facebook to see more photos.