WELLFEST 2017 is finally here as the health and wellbeing festival comes back to the borough with a bang.

All eyes will be on Leigh tomorrow as the Viking StreetVelodrome Series kicks off the action.

The four-day cycling event outside Leigh Town Hall will conclude with world champion cyclist Shanaze Reade competing for Team Wigan in front of the television cameras on Sunday.

The feast of cycling on a pop-up track links in with Armed Forces Day.

It will be celebrated at Leigh’s Civic Square on Saturday, when residents will have the chance to give the velodrome a try for free, with all equipment supplied.

The second annual Wellfest continues into next week with a series of events, including health and wellbeing roadshows across the borough that will give people access to a wide range of support to live a healthy and happy life.

Wednesday will see the return of the mass mile, which proved popular last year.

Residents can sign up to a walk near them by going online at wellfest.org.

The end of the first week of Wellfest 2017 will include the first Joining Jack Wigan Bike Ride next Sunday.

Nine-year-old Jack Johnson, son of former rugby league star Andy, suffers from Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which currently has no cure.

The Joining Jack charity was set up in his name in a bid to raise money to fund research to find effective treatments for the muscle wasting disease.

Throughout the summer there will be a wide range of events linking into the festival in the lead up to a second Wellfest week, which will run from Saturday, September 9, to Sunday, September 17, aimed at encouraging young people to look after their health.

Wellfest has been organised by public sector, charity and voluntary groups who have joined forces to encourage people to take up a new fitness challenge, get checked out for health problems or discover new ways to make life that little bit better through being healthier and more active.

It links into The Deal for Health and Wellness, which was launched by Wigan Council last year with the aim to increase healthy living and wellbeing across the borough.

For a full list of events go to wellfest.org.uk.