Help transform Chorley's historic Astley Hall

But it needs members of the public to pitch in with ideas to give the bid for the money the best chance of success.

The council is bidding for the funds from the Heritage Lottery Fund. But in the lead up to submitting the bid it wants residents to come forward with ideas of how to make it stand out.

It means that residents have the chance to get their thinking caps on and contribute ideas for how best to preserve Astley Hall and stop it from falling into disrepair.

If the bid is successful it will secure the future of Astley Hall and see the front of the Grade I listed building transformed.

Councillor Peter Wilson, deputy leader of Chorley Council, said: “Astley Hall is a well-known landmark in Chorley and we’re looking to do everything we can to keep it.

“The Hall is an accredited museum but due to its age it needs a lot of work doing and for that to be done we need funding, otherwise the property could fall into a greater state of disrepair.

“We are up against competition for the funding so we need to make Astley Hall stand out from the crowd, which is why we are asking for input from locals and visitors to see what the Hall means to them and what they would like to be done to save its future.”

People can complete the survey to have their say at chorley.gov.uk/astleyhall

The deadline for the consultation is Saturday, June 30.