Grand National week has arrived and there's an excitement in the air around Aintree.
The world's most prestigious horse racing event returns for three days from Thursday - and there is a buzz as you make the journey towards the iconic L9 racecourse. A road sign perched on nearby Warbreck Moor warns the iconic Grand National Avenue is closed in the lead up to the race, but assures passers-by that businesses remain "open as usual".
It's the first time this phrase can be applied to the famous sporting event since 2019 as the Grand National has looked a far cry from its "usual" self after years rocked by the pandemic. The event was scrapped altogether in April 2020 as the first wave of coronavirus surged across the UK.
