The delights of the Lancashire town of Ramsbottom, with its railway heritage and industrial history

With its heritage railway, industrial history and hot chocolate, this Lancashire market town is...just the ticket! Angela Epstein and her husband travel to the 'thriving' town of Ramsbottom They climb Holcombe Hill before heading to the Chocolate CafeMore: William and Kate's photographer snaps a photo of a very remote Scottish community Update: 22:17 GMT, February 3, 2023

With so much controversy surrounding the Metropolitan Police, it seems we've chosen a curious time to visit Ramsbottom. For this thriving Lancashire market town is crowned by Peel Tower, an unmissable tribute to the force's founder, Sir Robert Peel.

We catch our first glimpse in a long time before reaching our destination as my husband Martin steers our car through countryside on the M66 from Manchester.

Not just because of the The tower's elevated position atop Holcombe Hill on the West Pennine Moors just above Ramsbottom. But also because this monument culminates at 128 feet. As such, Peel Tower is hard to miss as it stings the sky, shattering an otherwise ambivalent horizon of rolling greenery and metal clouds.

Sir Robert Peel established the Met in 1829 and thus unwittingly gave the nicknames 'bobby' and 'peeler' to those who served in its ranks.

The politician, who was born outside Ramsbottom in the much larger neighboring town of Bury, hoped the Metropolitan Force would be the model for policing in other parts of the country - and indeed it was.