A NEW website featuring thousands of photographs from across the region has received a phenomenal response from users.

Local Bygones, created by the Leader’s publisher NWN Media, has recorded more than half a million page views in its first week online.

The interactive site displays pictures from NWN’s vast photographic archive, some of which date to the 19th century.

It lets users browse, share via sites such as Facebook and comment on pictures, as well as download high quality copies.

Most images have never been posted online and some have not been published anywhere before.

Users can also add caption information for pictures about which little is known.

Among the most popular sections of the site are collections of vintage images of Wrexham and Chester football clubs.

Tim Bowden, NWN editorial manager, said: “Local Bygones has really caught readers’ imaginations and the response so far has been fantastic.

“Our online introduction asks a question: ‘How do you organise a photo album that contains more than a million pictures’?

“A brief answer would be, with time – and the help of as many people as possible.

“Many users have already spotted themselves, or people and places they know or remember, and added comments to pictures.

“Everyone can then read these details, adding another dimension to what is already a unique archive.”

Local Bygones features pictures from North and Mid Wales, Cheshire and Shropshire.

Visitors can input keywords to search for pictures or use tags such as place, date or subject to refine the results displayed.

Thousands more pictures will be added to the site in the months ahead.

Paul Taylor, NWN digital director, said: “Local Bygones is the first site of its kind in the UK regional press.

“The archive of material held by newspapers is a goldmine just waiting to be opened up.”

Explore NWN’s huge picture archive at www.localbygones.co.uk.