FAMILIES and schoolchildren turned out to see the Tour of Britain make its way through North Wales.

As part of the fifth stage of the cycling event, riders set off from Birkenhead Park at 11am on Wednesday and passed through the historic Port Sunlight and into Cheshire West and Chester, passing the Airbus UK manufacturing facility at Broughton.

Hawarden Village Church School pupil Maddison Roberts was invited to start the race in Birkenhead after winning a competition to have her design made into the official start flag.

A spokesman for Airbus said: "Well done to Maddison, who started the Airbus-sponsored Wirral Stage of the Tour of Britain after her start-finish flag was judged best design in a competition earlier this year.

"It's great to see so many youngsters from local schools out to cheer on the pro cyclists.

"Airbus apprentices and our Beluga XL mascot were here to cheer on the riders as they passed through Airbus Corner near the entrance to our North Factory."

As part of the route, the riders passed through Saltney, Broughton, Dodleston, Pulford, Holt - then Farndon and back towards the Wirral.

Participants returned to Wirral via Heswall, Caldy and Hoylake, before passing through the Birkenhead Park finish line and taking in a loop through Seacombe, Wallasey and New Brighton.

Dylan Groenewegen was named the winner of stage five at about 3.20pm.