There's still plenty of time to take in the new 'Hats Off to Denton' sculpture trail as it has now been extended for a week.

Due to popular demand, the 15-hat trail – five of which are giant – is in Denton town centre until Sunday 20 March.

Each hat is a unique creation painted by a local artist, with many inspired by schools and community groups.

The project, which is Tameside Council's way of tipping its hat to the industry which made Denton's name, aimed to bring together the entire community in a celebration of the town's heritage. 

Town-centre shops were invited to get in contact to display hats in their window and a map of where you can find the displays is published below. 

You can also download the map by visiting www.hatsofftodenton.co.uk

Denton was a centre of hatting for 300 years and in Victorian times was home to 86 companies. 

It was also the birthplace of Thomas Bowler, the man who designed the famous hat that bears his name. 

The tradition continues even now in the shape of Denton Hats which supplies the trademark Gatsby caps for the popular BAFTA-winning BBC television drama “Peaky Blinders”.

A statue outside Denton Town Hall called “Tipping the Denton Linney” commemorates the link with the hatting industry which once employed almost half the town’s population.

Councillor Leanne Feeley, Tameside Council’s executive member with responsibility for culture, said: “Denton was once one of the main hatting centres not just in Britain, but the entire world, and the industry was a source of great civic pride. ‘Hats Off’ provides us with an opportunity to rekindle that pride by showing that creativity and community spirit are still at the heart of what makes Denton such a great place.”

All the artists involved are based in Greater Manchester and several are from Tameside.

Among the participating schools and community groups are St Thomas More RC College, Denton Community College, Denton Local History Society, Gibson’s Dance Centre, Denton Brass Band, Beavers and Cubs, The Create Centre and Tameside Air Cadets.

Read more from the Tameside Reporter

Click here for more of the latest news

Click here to read the latest edition of the paper online

Click here to find out where you can pick up a copy of the paper