As part of Whats Your Story Chorley, a town centre walking trail has been made to celebrate one of Britain’s greatest comic creators, who was born in the town nearly 100 years ago.
Leo Baxendale was born in Whittle-Le-Woods in 1930 and went to school at St Mary’s on Devonshire Road in Chorley Town Centre. He grew up to have a career creating characters for best-selling comics including The Beano.
His creations include Minnie The Minx, Little Plum, Sweeney Toddler and Grimly Feendish & His Minions (the unofficial inspiration for Gru in the Despicable Me films). His best-known creations The Bash Street Kids celebrate their anniversary this year. Inspired by his time at school in Chorley, the characters were first published 70 years ago this Spring.
Baxendale moved to Preston in the 1940s and found work at the Lancashire Evening Post before joining publishers DC Thomson in the 1950s. At it’s height, The Beano was selling 2 million issues per week and Baxendale was much in-demand.
To celebrate his legacy the organisers of Whats Your Story have placed images of his famous characters all around the town centre. People of all ages can go on the trail by picking up a map at Chorley Theatre, Ebb & Flo Books, Chorley Library and participating shops. Fill in the answers and hand in at Ebb & Flo Bookshop on Gillibrand Street for the chance to a bundle of books. Entry is free and the closing date has been extended to Saturday 13th April.
