THREE families from Wirral have won a golden ticket giving them free access to some of Merseyside's most-loved attractions.

Presented with their prize by metro mayor Steve Rotheram, each family will have the opportunity to travel across the River Mersey and visit Spaceport and its popular Sci-Fi Icons exhibitions.

They will also enjoy a family Day Tripper experience which includes entry to The Beatles Story plus the 'Do The Treble' ticket which covers the City Explorer Open Top Bus Tour, the Liverpool Cathedral Tower Tour and River Explorer Cruise.

Mr Rotheram told the Globe: “It’s been wonderful to see the families today and talk to the children about their summer plans.

"They are all looking forward to exploring parts of the city region which many have never visited before.

“Hopefully the three winning families won’t hear the dreaded words – 'I’m bored' – at all this summer!”

Melissa Devlin, from Birkenhead, mum to Tom, 10, Charlie, 8, and Gracie, 4 who won a golden ticket said: “We’re so happy to be chosen as one of the lucky families awarded a golden ticket this summer, and we’re really looking forward to hopping on the first ferry we can!

“It’s nice to know that we can enjoy some amazing experiences as a family, enjoying the city and attractions on our doorstep many of us often take for granted.

"I’d really like to thank the Mersey Ferries team for running this fantastic competition and for giving me and my family the chance to create memories this summer which I’m sure will last a lifetime.”

The competition, which ran for a week on the Mersey Ferries Facebook page, generated hundreds of entrants and comments from families keen to explore more of Liverpool across the school holidays.

Gary Evans from Mersey Ferries said: “We’d like to say a huge congratulations to our winners who will now get to enjoy an action-packed summer enjoying many of the city’s top attractions.

“The Mersey Ferries and Beatles Story teams are delighted to able to provide these prizes and take some pressure off parents and grandparents, who we know spend endless hours thinking about childcare and entertaining days in preparation for the six weeks off.”

For more information or to book tickets, call the Mersey Ferries ticket office on 0151 330 1003, drop in to any of Mersey Ferries terminals or visit https://www.merseyferries.co.uk/family