An OLYMPIC gold-medallist will be on-hand to cut the ribbon when Whitchurch's Aldi store opens in the spring.

The Wrexham Road store, which opens on Thursday, April 2 after a controversial battle for planning permission, will sit on the same roundabout as Starbucks and McDonald's despite objections from residents and the town council.

Joanna Rowsell, who won gold at the 2012 Olympics in London and at Rio 2016, will be there on the day to officially declare the shop open and she admitted she is delighted to play a part.

She added: “I’m so excited to be opening Aldi’s new store – it will be great to chat to customers and a lovely way for me to thank Aldi for its endless support of Team GB.”

The Whitchurch store will be run by manager, Hayley Rogerson, and will officially open at 8am.

She admits she is looking forward to bringing a new shopping option to the town.

"We can’t wait to open the doors to the new store on Wrexham Road," she said.

"It’s set to be a special day as we’ll be celebrating the opening of Aldi’s first store in the area and having an Olympic hero join us will make it a morning to remember.”

Exclusive offers will run throughout opening day and the first 30 customers through the door will receive a complimentary bag of fresh fruit and vegetables from Aldi’s fantastic Super 6 range.

Aldi Whitchurch, will offer large chillers and freezers dedicated to fresh, British meat products, a ‘Food to Go’ section at the front of the store, a fixture along the back wall showcasing Aldi’s award-winning beers, wines and spirits, and an exclusive section full of health and beauty products.

Aldi’s legendary specialbuys will also be available every Thursday and Sunday, offering extraordinary value on a wide range of products, from electrical items to garden tools.

Additionally, the new Aldi store is calling on local charities and foodbanks in Whitchurch to register with Neighbourly, a community engagement platform that links businesses to charitable organisations in their community, to receive regular donations of surplus food from the supermarket.

Local charities that register will be able to collect surplus food and perishable products, such as fruit, vegetables and baked goods, up to five days a week.

Any charities in the area that would like to partner up with the new Aldi store should email aldi@neighbourly.com