logo
Family fun as Chester Racecourse hosts 'Roman Day'

Family fun as Chester Racecourse hosts 'Roman Day'

Leader Live01-06-2025

Yesterday (May 31), Roman Day featured horseracing and plenty of exciting other activities for youngsters, as well as appearances from special guest Zog, the dragon from children's author Julia Donaldson's books.
Above, you can enjoy a selection of photos taken at the event.
The line-up at Roman Day, which was free for those aged 17 and younger, also included Roman stunt shows, archery, bootcamp challenges, inflatable slides and a bungee run.
There were birds of prey, a pop-up play village, and craft camp, as well as a heritage festival, camp curiosity, racing to school, and performances from arts organisation and charity foundation, AmaSing.
Chester Racecourse said: "What a day!
"From non-stop fun on the Open Course, meeting our equine ambassador Dieu Vivant, to thrilling racing and all the fantastic Roman-themed excitement — it's been a great day on the Roodee!
"Thank you to everyone who joined us for Roman Day.
"We can't wait to welcome you back soon for our next fixtures: The White Oak UK Friday Social and The Saturday Social on June 13 and 14."
Winners at yesterday's races, held from 1.35pm to 5.35pm, were Noche Clasica, Myal, Tricky Tel, State Legend, Dream Harder, Sea Emily Run, War Hawk, and Topteam.
The event followed a record-breaking Boodles May Festival, which saw attendance figures up by 11 per cent on last year.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

9 of the best McDonald's Happy Meal toys ever, and how much they could be worth
9 of the best McDonald's Happy Meal toys ever, and how much they could be worth

Scotsman

time16 hours ago

  • Scotsman

9 of the best McDonald's Happy Meal toys ever, and how much they could be worth

There have been some classic toys over the years Sign up to our Retro newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Happy Meal has been with us for nearly 50 years They have included some amazing freebies over the years, particularly during the 80s, 90s and noughties How many of these Happy Meal toys do you remember, some of which could be worth £100s? There have been some amazing McDonald's Happy Meal toys over the years | Getty Images/ The McDonald's Happy Meal has been around since 1979, and it has contained some amazing toys over the years - as well as some less impressive ones. The first Happy Meal toys included a McDonald's-themed stencil, a wallet and a spinning top. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But over the years the gifts became more elaborate and were often designed to tie in with the latest movie release or craze. Video games, action figures and toy cars are just some of the goodies children have found inside the boxes down the decades. In recent years, McDonald's has started phasing out plastic toys in favour of more sustainable items. But what is the best Happy Meal toy of the last 46 years, and how much are the most sought-after goodies now worth? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Below are nine of the most popular Happy Meal toys from the 80s, 90s and noughties, some of which are listed for sale for £100s, while others can be snapped up for just a few pounds. TY Teenie Beanie Babies Stretchy the Ostrich was part of the hugely popular range of Teenie Beanie Babies toys which came with Happy Meals during the late 90s | These adorable mini soft toys first landed in Happy Meal boxes in 1997, at the height of the Beanie Babies craze. There were huge queues at some McDonald's restaurants, with the tiny toys appealing to adult collectors as well as children. There were even reports of fights breaking out, such was the demand. The popular characters included Patti the Platypus and Pinchers the Lobster. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A complete set of 12 unopened Teenie Beanies toys from 1998 is listed for sale on eBay for more than £420, but they are listed elsewhere for much less. Changeables The McDonald's Changeables toys, which transformed from food items to robots or dinosaurs, came with Happy Meals in the late 80s and early 90s | These popular Happy Meal toys were released in the late 80s and early 90s, when Transformers was all the rage. They converted from food items like a burger or fries into dinosaurs or robots. They first came out in 1987 and proved a huge hit, with new versions released in 1989 and 1990. Many people claimed these were the best Happy Meal toys ever, with one going so far as to call them 'absolute legends'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad If you have one and are hoping to cash in, though, you might be disappointed. The going price for a set of four Changeables on eBay appears to be around £30. Hot Wheels McDonald's first teamed up with Hot Wheels to include model cars in Happy Meal boxes in 1983, and they have produced some classic vehicles over the years. One car from the original collection, a Cadillac Seville, is listed for sale on eBay for just over £50. Inspector Gadget The Inspector Gadget toy produced to tie in with the 1999 movie, starring Matthew Broderick, is another favourite among Happy Meal fans. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad You had to collect all eight parts to complete your Inspector Gadget action figure, but those who did said it was worth it. One person recalled: 'Loved it. Was one of my core memories with my grandma. She did a lil skip when we got all the pieces.' One set of all the pieces in their original wrappers is listed on eBay for just under £1,100, but elswehere on eBay what appears to be the same collection is listed for a little over £40. Toy Story 2 figures The Buzz Lightyear figure given away with McDonald's Happy Meals in 2000 to mark the release of Toy Story 2 | The mini action figures given away with Happy Meals in 2000 to tie in with Toy Story 2 are another of the most fondly remembered toys from over the years. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad They included Woody, Slinky Dog and Buzz Lightyear, which was the one every child wanted to get. A set of six toys from that collection is listed on eBay for £25. Sonic games McDonald's first gave away Sonic the Hedgehog handheld games with its Happy Meals in 2003. They included a racing game and a basic adventure game where you had to collect the rings. They were designed for small hands, and the screen was so tiny that you needed amazing eyesight to play them too, but they are still fondly remembered. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad One fan called them 'epic' and another branded them 'awesome'. A set of four of the original 2003 games in their original packaging is listed on eBay for around £35. In 2023, McDonald's gave away click-together cardboard Sonic toys together with a QR code enabling you to play much more sophisticated games than those from 20 years earlier on your smartphone. Lego Motion These basic Lego toys were given away inside Happy Meals in 1989, with models including a helicopter, a race car and a sea plane. You can pick these models up for around £5 each on eBay. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In 1994, similar toys called Lego System were released. A set of four of these toys is listed on eBay for just over £50. Back to the Future Delorean The Back to the Future Happy Meal toys were released not to tie in with the films but with the cartoon series which came out in 1991. They included Marty McFly on a hoverboard but the most sought-after of the four toys was undoubtedly the time-travelling DeLorean car with Doc Brown at the wheel. You can pick up the Marty McFly and DeLorean toys together on eBay for around £25. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Batmobile The Batman Returns Happy Meal toys given away to tie in with the 1992 movie proved controversial, as some parents felt it was unsuitable to promote a film with such adult themes in meals aimed at young children. The toys themselves were great though, especially the Batmobile, which shot out the front part like a missile when you pressed the button on top. One person recalled: 'Let's face it, if you got a Happy Meal with any of the others besides the Batmobile in it, you were at least a little bit disappointed.' How many of these Happy Meal toys do you remember and what do you think is the best gift the boxes ever contained?

9 of the best McDonald's Happy Meal toys ever, and how much they could be worth
9 of the best McDonald's Happy Meal toys ever, and how much they could be worth

Scotsman

time19 hours ago

  • Scotsman

9 of the best McDonald's Happy Meal toys ever, and how much they could be worth

There have been some classic toys over the years Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Happy Meal has been with us for nearly 50 years They have included some amazing freebies over the years, particularly during the 80s, 90s and noughties How many of these Happy Meal toys do you remember, some of which could be worth £100s? There have been some amazing McDonald's Happy Meal toys over the years | Getty Images/ The McDonald's Happy Meal has been around since 1979, and it has contained some amazing toys over the years - as well as some less impressive ones. The first Happy Meal toys included a McDonald's-themed stencil, a wallet and a spinning top. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But over the years the gifts became more elaborate and were often designed to tie in with the latest movie release or craze. Video games, action figures and toy cars are just some of the goodies children have found inside the boxes down the decades. In recent years, McDonald's has started phasing out plastic toys in favour of more sustainable items. But what is the best Happy Meal toy of the last 46 years, and how much are the most sought-after goodies now worth? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Below are nine of the most popular Happy Meal toys from the 80s, 90s and noughties, some of which are listed for sale for £100s, while others can be snapped up for just a few pounds. TY Teenie Beanie Babies Stretchy the Ostrich was part of the hugely popular range of Teenie Beanie Babies toys which came with Happy Meals during the late 90s | These adorable mini soft toys first landed in Happy Meal boxes in 1997, at the height of the Beanie Babies craze. There were huge queues at some McDonald's restaurants, with the tiny toys appealing to adult collectors as well as children. There were even reports of fights breaking out, such was the demand. The popular characters included Patti the Platypus and Pinchers the Lobster. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A complete set of 12 unopened Teenie Beanies toys from 1998 is listed for sale on eBay for more than £420, but they are listed elsewhere for much less. Changeables The McDonald's Changeables toys, which transformed from food items to robots or dinosaurs, came with Happy Meals in the late 80s and early 90s | These popular Happy Meal toys were released in the late 80s and early 90s, when Transformers was all the rage. They converted from food items like a burger or fries into dinosaurs or robots. They first came out in 1987 and proved a huge hit, with new versions released in 1989 and 1990. Many people claimed these were the best Happy Meal toys ever, with one going so far as to call them 'absolute legends'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad If you have one and are hoping to cash in, though, you might be disappointed. The going price for a set of four Changeables on eBay appears to be around £30. Hot Wheels McDonald's first teamed up with Hot Wheels to include model cars in Happy Meal boxes in 1983, and they have produced some classic vehicles over the years. One car from the original collection, a Cadillac Seville, is listed for sale on eBay for just over £50. Inspector Gadget The Inspector Gadget toy produced to tie in with the 1999 movie, starring Matthew Broderick, is another favourite among Happy Meal fans. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad You had to collect all eight parts to complete your Inspector Gadget action figure, but those who did said it was worth it. One person recalled: 'Loved it. Was one of my core memories with my grandma. She did a lil skip when we got all the pieces.' One set of all the pieces in their original wrappers is listed on eBay for just under £1,100, but elswehere on eBay what appears to be the same collection is listed for a little over £40. Toy Story 2 figures The Buzz Lightyear figure given away with McDonald's Happy Meals in 2000 to mark the release of Toy Story 2 | The mini action figures given away with Happy Meals in 2000 to tie in with Toy Story 2 are another of the most fondly remembered toys from over the years. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad They included Woody, Slinky Dog and Buzz Lightyear, which was the one every child wanted to get. A set of six toys from that collection is listed on eBay for £25. Sonic games McDonald's first gave away Sonic the Hedgehog handheld games with its Happy Meals in 2003. They included a racing game and a basic adventure game where you had to collect the rings. They were designed for small hands, and the screen was so tiny that you needed amazing eyesight to play them too, but they are still fondly remembered. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad One fan called them 'epic' and another branded them 'awesome'. A set of four of the original 2003 games in their original packaging is listed on eBay for around £35. In 2023, McDonald's gave away click-together cardboard Sonic toys together with a QR code enabling you to play much more sophisticated games than those from 20 years earlier on your smartphone. Lego Motion These basic Lego toys were given away inside Happy Meals in 1989, with models including a helicopter, a race car and a sea plane. You can pick these models up for around £5 each on eBay. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In 1994, similar toys called Lego System were released. A set of four of these toys is listed on eBay for just over £50. Back to the Future Delorean The Back to the Future Happy Meal toys were released not to tie in with the films but with the cartoon series which came out in 1991. They included Marty McFly on a hoverboard but the most sought-after of the four toys was undoubtedly the time-travelling DeLorean car with Doc Brown at the wheel. You can pick up the Marty McFly and DeLorean toys together on eBay for around £25. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Batmobile The Batman Returns Happy Meal toys given away to tie in with the 1992 movie proved controversial, as some parents felt it was unsuitable to promote a film with such adult themes in meals aimed at young children. The toys themselves were great though, especially the Batmobile, which shot out the front part like a missile when you pressed the button on top. One person recalled: 'Let's face it, if you got a Happy Meal with any of the others besides the Batmobile in it, you were at least a little bit disappointed.'

Roman £48 summer dress shoppers 'absolutely love' as it fits 'perfectly' now £32
Roman £48 summer dress shoppers 'absolutely love' as it fits 'perfectly' now £32

Wales Online

time21 hours ago

  • Wales Online

Roman £48 summer dress shoppers 'absolutely love' as it fits 'perfectly' now £32

Roman £48 summer dress shoppers 'absolutely love' as it fits 'perfectly' now £32 The Pink Floral Shirred Maxi Dress from Roman is a flirty maxi dress that features a floral print, is button through and designed with a v-neck and short sleeves. Beautiful and flowy (Image: Roman ) As the summer season approaches, it's time to dust off those vibrant hues and floral dresses from our wardrobes. This is typically when folks indulge in a bit of retail therapy to spruce up their attire for the warmer months. There are numerous high-quality brands available for customers to choose from for weddings, events, summer soirees and everything in between. However, splurging isn't always the best option, but thankfully, Roman has reduced their Pink Floral Shirred Maxi Dress to £32 from £48 on their website. The floral frock, available in sizes 10 to 20, is described as a playful maxi dress featuring a floral print, button-through design, v-neck and short sleeves. With a shirred waistline, the dress is designed to flatter figures, boasting a flowy fit and flare silhouette that grazes the floor. READ MORE: Shift worker says he's 'literally saved' from 'countless sleepless nights' with supplement READ MORE: Molly-Mae Hague wears bold and 'statement' high-street earrings perfect for summer Fully machine washable and versatile enough to be dressed up for an event or toned down with a denim jacket and flats, this dress is suitable for a variety of occasions - making it a must-have addition to wardrobes this season. Should the style not be to everyone's taste, there are plentiful alternatives available such as the Lipsy Green Floral Print Lace Mix Fit and Flare Midi Dress going for £90 at Next. It offers both regular and petite fits, spans sizes from 6 to 18, and is touted as being ideal for wedding guests, race day attendees, or the mother of the bride, reports MyLondon. Roman's Pink Floral Shirred Maxi Dress £48 £32 Roman Buy Here Product Description Roman's Pink Floral Shirred Maxi Dress is available on their website. If you're after something different, try the Pink Lily Print Halterneck Maxi Dress priced at £26.99 from New Look, featuring a slinky jersey fabric, halterneck design and a bodycon silhouette. Nonetheless, the Roman dress boasts an impressive 4.5 out of 5-star rating on their site. A satisfied customer commented: "Absolutely love this dress. The fabric is lovely and there is lots of it! I will sew up the split but that's just my preference and as I'm only 5'2" I've got to take 4" off the length! I will be wearing it to a July wedding." Another shared: "I'm between a size 12 and 14. Size 14 fitted me perfectly." While the website itself had no further reviews, shoppers have taken to Trustpilot to detail their experiences with Roman. One wrote: "Great service and excellent customer care. Great quality products." Others however weren't quite as impressed, as one critic mentioned: "Not too impressed with the quality of the dress." Article continues below And another voiced concern over sizing: "Far too long for a midi dress." Yet, if what you seek is a fetching frock at a more affordable price point, the Pink Floral Shirred Maxi Dress from Roman might just tick all the boxes.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store