WIRRAL hosted a colourful balloon festival in Birkenhead Park and 12 Quays as part of Vision 2000 to promote tourism and the waterfront. There was a Giant Action Man, Bertie Bassett, Sainsbury's Carrots, Can of Bud and Mitsubishi hot air balloons, to name but a few.

Thousand of spectators enjoyed the show but those gathered at Fisherman's Wharf were surprised that this waterfront location is in such a badly vandalised state. The pub and observation post are both wrecked and the cobbled viewing area has also been destroyed by vandals.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.