Spoof says we’d rather be Welsh

Thursday 1st May 2008, 6:59PM BST.

Audlem

A light-hearted attempt to raise some serious issues has thrust a village near Whitchurch onto the international stage.

Word of a tongue-in-cheek online poll, in which hundreds of Audlem residents stated they wanted to be part of Wales, has now reached as far away as Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan and Canada.

The latest coverage given to the village was by BBC1′s The One Show last night. Presenter Giles Brandreth spent most of the day with his crew speaking to villagers about the situation.

The Audlem Online website poll started to support claims people in Wales are better off because they have free prescriptions and hospital parking, among other things.

Bob Cartwright, of Audlem Online, featured on last night’s show and was pleased to see some serious issues being carried to so many people in a light-hearted way.

He said: “It all stemmed from an April Fool’s story created as we were against being pushed into a new East Cheshire authority.”

The Audlem Online website is at www.audlem.org

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