PRESTWICH is preparing for big traffic problems this weekend, August 23-25.

Thousands of people from all over the North West will descend on the south of the town as the Manchester Show takes over Heaton Park.

But, along with all those people will be thousands of cars and police are predicting severe congestion near to every entrance to the park and in nearby side roads over the three-day holiday period.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: "Our officers will be on duty over the entire show period but we do expect problems solely due to numbers of vehicles.

"We ask local residents to be as patient as possible."

Prestwich folk would be well-advised to leave their cars at home and walk to the park.

It will be a three-day extravaganza, the biggest the city of Manchester has put on. The show starts tomorrow and finishes on Bank Holiday Monday.

Attractions will range rom Zippo's big top circus to dog display teams as well as former Olympic shot-putter Geoff Cape's strongman act, fun fairs, sideshows stalls, bouncy castles, go-karts and quad bikes. Just about every type of family entertainment will be featured for eight hours each day.

Other activities include a demonstration of free-fall parachuting, a fly-past by an awesome C-130 Hercules aircraft, displays by a motorcycle stunt team, a high-speed drive around an obstacle course by a blindfolded "Mr Mystery" and one of the country's top hypnotists will be casting his powers over willing members of the audience.

The gates open at 9am until 6pm on all three days and admission is £2 (£1 concessions). Children under four can go for free.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.