A WOMAN who opened her doors to race-goers after the 1997 IRA bomb scare at Aintree is the first to be nominated in a search to find the People’s Legend of the Grand National.

With two weeks to go before the world’s greatest steeplechase gets under way, Edie Roche has been nominated by Grand National winning jockey Mick Fitzgerald.

In 1997, the Grand National was called off after the IRA issued a bomb threat.

Mrs Roche, who lives on Melling Road, took in the media, owners and jockeys as they had left all of their belongings and cars inside the racecourse.

Mrs Roche said: “It is lovely to be nominated, but I think there are probably more deserving people.

“I can remember the day clearly. Each year we open our house up on National day to the family.

“We were watching the events unfold on the TV and then noticed a gathering outside out house. All of the jockeys were outside dressed only in their silks.

“We invited in as many as we could and circulated drinks and food while keeping everyone up to date with the news on the TV. At first, people thought that there was a possibility the race could still go ahead.

“There was a dead silence when it was announced there would be no race. But then a different atmosphere descended and something good came from it.

“There were so many different people thrown together in our house, in the end it was great fun.

“We’ve made some lasting friendships and they pop back in when they can. Mick is a dear friend and we love it when he pops in. After the race on the Monday, a lot of those we had taken in came round with gifts and money.