A town many people felt had been "forgotten" now has hope for new beginnings.
Skelmersdale was the pioneering "new town" and was given this status in 1961. It was built to offer people new life away from Liverpool's post-war slums, but its history dates back even further with its name recorded in the Domesday Book.
Modern Skelmersdale is split in two with the new town dominating the landscape to the east and "Old Skem" representing a smaller portion to the west. Like many towns, Skem's town centre has been struggling for the past two decades, with the Concourse shopping centre, known locally as the Conny, being the focal point of the town.
