AHEAD of Widnes and Runcorn forming part of the Liverpool City Region next year, one man has come up with a suggestion to bring us all together. 

In 2017, Halton, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens, Wirral and Liverpool will be governed by a single mayor which Richie Wright suggests may 'test our local sense of identity'.

The 36 year old is calling on people to get behind the new city region and says he has come up with a solution to the 'Wooly backs vs Scousers' problem to ensure its success.

He added: "I've defined the word 'Liverpolitan' on Urban Dictionary as someone from the entire Liverpool City Region.

"This is not be confused with a Scouser or Liverpudlian who is from the city of Liverpool proper.

"So a Liverpolitan can be someone from Southport, Newton-le-Willows, Runcorn or anywhere in the city region, as well as Liverpool itself."

Richie, originally from Scotland Road in Liverpool, says this should give us all a new sense of identity and belonging to the Liverpool City Region as well as getting rid of any 'derogatory terminology'.

He adds it should also put to rest the old question of who is a 'proper Scouser' and who is not while at the same time including everyone in the region as 'one common people'.

He added: "At the moment, it is not accurate to refer to someone from Halton as a Merseysider, but it will be accurate to say they are just as much a Liverpolitan as someone from Speke or Spital."

There is some history behind the term too with the word thought to have been used from the 18th century onwards.

Richie, who is hoping for a revival of the word with a modern purpose and context, added: "If the Liverpool City Region and all Liverpolitans get behind this idea it could be potentially massive and change everything for us – breaking down the outdated culture of regional parochialism."