Chester West and Chester Council (CWCC) has confirmed that it will be leading a bid to have the city qualify for inscription on UNESCO's World Heritage List.

Next month will see council, education, private sector, cultural and civic trust leaders meet to discuss the formation of a Chester Heritage Panel as part of efforts to secure international heritage recognition. CWCC leader Mike Jones said: "With two thousand years of rich history, I believe that Chester has all the assets necessary to qualify for this Premier League of historic attractions.

"From the walls, rows, cathedral and imperial amphitheatre, to some of the earliest council houses in the country - our architectural heritage spans every period for the Romans onwards and is, in part, unique." Existing World Heritage Sites in the UK include Liverpool's Maritime Mercantile City; the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, London and the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh, Scotland.