The seven Shropshire towns bidding to be UK Town of Culture

Seven towns across Shropshire have registered their interest to be crowned the first ever UK Town of Culture for 2028.

Towns that have not already applied have until 31 March to submit an expression of interest.

The winning town will be awarded £3m to deliver a cultural programme - similar to City of Culture, which began in 2013.

The government said the competition sought to "foster a sense of local pride" and "spotlight the cultural contribution of towns to our national story".

Each town will be judged against a set of aims and criteria, such as a strong, compelling local story and high-quality arts, heritage and creative industries.

Below are Shropshire's entries in alphabetical order.

Bridgnorth is a unique market town divided into a high and low town, connected by the UK's oldest and steepest inland funicular railway.

The town originally flourished thanks to the River Severn and the trade that it brought. At one time, Bridgnorth was the largest inland port in Europe.

One of Bridgnorth's most endearing attractions is the Theatre on the Steps - a 180-seater venue situated halfway down a passageway built into the sandstone cliff.

The historic Severn Valley Railway, linking Bridgnorth with Worcestershire via steam trains, also attracts thousands of visitors each year.

"We bring an awful lot of business to Bridgnorth, which is helpful in this day and age," said volunteer station master Chris Thomas.

"I love the whole place. It's such a wonderful, quirky town and I love the people.

"The town has some magnificent architecture and even our main station building is Grade II listed because it's unique."

Broseley is one of Shropshire's smallest towns, with a population of about 5,000 residents. But for its size, it packs a punch.

Due to its proximity to the world famous Ironbridge, which was built to link industrial Broseley with the mining town of Madeley, Broseley is steeped in heritage and was home to many of the ironmasters.

The town also has a thriving arts and cultural scene, with annual film and music festivals, plus a popular amateur dramatic society and monthly artisan market.

"Culturally there is so much going on in this town," said Marianne Ayling, who runs the town's community cinema.

"There is so much provided by the community, for the community. We have choirs, bands, a theatre, the cinema, art groups and a busy library.

"We really punch above our weight," she added.

Few English towns have as much medieval charm as Ludlow, with its impressive castle sitting on a cliff above the picturesque River Teme.

The town is also packed with independent bakeries, restaurants and cafes, making it the foodie capital of Shropshire.

Its programme of festivals is impressive given the size of the town. Annual events such as Ludlow May Fair, Ludlow Food Festival and Ludlow Fringe Festival bring thousands of visitors to south Shropshire each year.

"Ludlow punches way above its weight when it comes to what we offer," said Jess Laurie from the town's main arts centre, The Assembly Rooms.

"We know that there are many people in Ludlow who do not access culture for a variety of reasons, and winning this would hopefully give us an opportunity to make sure we're including those people."

Market Drayton was first recorded as a market town in 1245 and grew in the 19th Century with the arrival of the railway and canal.

The town is now famed for its brewing heritage, street market and gingerbread. It also has a museum, arts and performance centre and community-owned farm.

"Billington's gingerbread has been made in Market Drayton since 1817," said Gemma Williams from Image On Food, which has had a bakery in the town for almost 40 years.

"Gingerbread has become ingrained in the town's history and culture and spirit.

"There's a lot of people who work hard to make Market Drayton the town that it is. And winning Town of Culture would mean such a lot, and the town would be a really good fit."

Oswestry's events calendar is as impressive as the town's history, with its long-running Oswestry Show as well as the Balloon Carnival.

The area's defining landmark is the well preserved 3,000-year-old Hillfort - often referred to as "the Stonehenge of the Iron Age".

The town's proximity to Wales has helped to shape its unique heritage, with Welsh-language street names and a small population of Welsh-speakers.

Soldier and poet Wilfred Owen, who is widely recognised as one of the greatest voices of World War One, was born in the town.

Natalie Bainbridge from Oswestry in Bloom, which has won many gold awards for its displays, said: "We have a lot of volunteers who want to create a nicer environment to live in.

"We have some beautiful architecture, we have a beautiful park in the middle of town, and we've got such a wide variety of community groups that are doing amazing things.

"We have a lovely community spirit and it makes it a vibrant place to be," she added.

Shrewsbury, which is nestled in a loop of the River Severn and populated with more than 600 listed buildings, is the county heart of Shropshire.

It boasts the longest uninterrupted row of independent shops in the UK, Britain's Favourite Market and the first iron-framed building in the world.

It was also the birthplace of naturalist Charles Darwin.

"Shrewsbury attracts creativity and has history running through its veins," said Maggie Love, creative arts consultant and local historian.

"From dance and theatre to music, heritage and community projects, this town has always found ways to bring people together through culture.

"A UK Town of Culture bid is a chance to tell our story with confidence, celebrate what we already do so well, and inspire people of all ages to get involved."

The UK Town of Culture 2028 will take place exactly 60 years after Telford was officially created.

The post-war "New Town" has expanded considerably in recent decades into a large conurbation.

Yet the area's heritage, including the Ironbridge Gorge, which is regarded as the birthplace of the industrial revolution, adds significant historical weight to the borough's bid.

Telford is also known for its vibrant town centre and town park, which hosts many annual events, including the Balloon Festival and St George's Day.

"It sometimes gets a bad rap, but actually there are some beautiful green spaces and interesting diverse community, and I think it's getting better all the time," said popular YouTube chef Adam Purnell, known online as The Shropshire Lad.

"I think there's plenty that we can pitch to be at the forefront of the competition."

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