INQUIRIES are to be made about the prospects of reopening a village railway station which was last open to passengers more than 30 years ago.

Today there's little evidence of Glazebury station's heyday.

The line still runs from Warrington Bank Quay to Manchester's Oxford Road station and there are still some crumbling remnants of the former platforms.

And the Chat Moss Hotel, which housed the old ticket office is going strong.

Now, following a request by a villager about the prospect of reviving the station, Culcheth and Glazebury Parish Council is putting an investigation in motion.

Borough councillor Keith Bland said more than 2,000 signatures were collected in support of such a move when the issue last arose in 1998.

"Unless we ask, as parish and borough councillors, then we're not going to get anything," he added.

But fellow parish councillor Mike Matthews warned that the cost of reopening the station could top £3.5 million.

And he believed that without the construction of several thousands new homes in the area, hopes of reviving Glazebury's fortunes were slim.

Travellers could also use Birchwood, Newton-le-Willows and Atherton stations, added Clr Matthews.

Campaigners in neighbouring Leigh have also been staking their own claim for a rail link, saying that the Lancashire town is the largest in Europe without its own mainline station.

Clr Bland was adamant though that unless village leaders pressed the issue, it would remain forgotten.

Later he added: "The borough is always talking about getting more cars off the road and this would seem like an ideal way."

Parish councillors agreed to make an official approach to Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive about the station site's future.