A PARADE planned to celebrate the return of paralympic swimming sensation Poppy Maskill to her hometown of Middlewich has been cancelled.

The event was due to take place on Sunday, September 22, and would’ve involved closing a number of streets in the town centre to traffic for several hours.

An application for the road closures was made to Cheshire East Council’s highways department, which was accepted.

However, a spokesman for Middlewich Town Council (MTC), who were leading the event, have confirmed the application to close the roads has since been withdrawn as the parade will no longer be going ahead. 

The ceremony to award Poppy the honour of freeman of the town will still be going ahead ‘at a date to be confirmed’, the council has confirmed. 

MTC’s spokesman cited ‘logistical concerns’, including the amount of time available to plan such a large event, and the council’s ‘already full agenda’.

A spokesman for Northwich Town Council, who had been invited to get involved in a supporting capacity, said the decision was ‘sad’, reiterating this was an MTC-organised event.  

Poppy swept the board at this year’s Paris 2024 games with three gold and two silver medals, setting a world record in the women’s S14 200m butterfly.

The 19-year-old was also chosen to be one of two British flag bearers at the closing ceremony, along with South Wales-based para-taekwondo athlete, Matt Bush.