Thousands dress up for Ladies' Day

Thousands of women have upped the fashion stakes in the sunshine at a sold-out Grand National Ladies' Day.

Racing almost took a back seat while WAG queen Coleen Rooney led the way as an estimated 50,000 punters attended the second day of the festival at Aintree.

Girls and women from all over the country flocked to the racecourse to parade their glad rags and style sense.

Wayne Rooney's wife, who on Wednesday backed a 50/1 winner, was decked out in a black and white skater style number with a floral print and black Christian Louboutin heels.

Joanne Sloan, 39, said she was there to prove that Merseyside girls are not all "trashy" dressers. She was wearing a corset-fitted jewel top with a bustle at the back in pinks and nude from Tony Brown and a black marabou. She said: "We have got a bad reputation when it comes to dress sense but I think we can do it all, vintage, classy and glamour."

Jockeys made their annual visit to Alder Hey Children's Hospital to meet patients and parents on Friday morning. They were led by 16-time champion jockey AP McCoy.

He said: "I have been coming to Alder Hey for quite a long time, we come here before the National every year. Hopefully it takes the kids' minds off things a little bit and makes their day a little bit easier but I think more importantly it creates awareness of how important places like Alder Hey are."

A sell-out crowd of 53,461 attended Ladies' Day, according to the festival's organisers. Tickets had all been snapped up earlier in the week.

It follows a record crowd of 30,340 on Thursday's Liverpool Day, the first day of the meeting.

Julian Thick, managing director of Aintree racecourse, said: "It has been a fantastic day and we are now looking forward to another sold-out occasion, John Smith's Grand National day, tomorrow."