Whanganui street set to be named after Leicester City

Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy celebrates winning the English Premier League title. Photo / Getty Images

A street in Whanganui is set to be renamed to Leicester Place in celebration of the Leicester City football team winning the English Premier League title this season.

Members of the Whanganui District Council had vote to decide what the new name of one of the streets in Whanganui would be renamed to, with the options including Wiltshire, Lancaster, Worcester and Leicester.

However, deputy mayor Hamish McDouall admitted the opportunity to celebrate Leicester's astonishing season was too hard to turn down, saying: "Considering the timing - in the same month that the Foxes won the Premier League - the choice was obvious.

"Leicester's historic win has to be one of the great fairytales in sport."

The renaming of the street holds extra significance for Leicester City ambassador Alan Birchenall, who travelled to Whanganui as an 18-year-old while playing for English third tier side Sheffield United.

"I can't believe it," said Birchnell.

"I have been there. I was an 18-year-old with my first club - Sheffield United.

"We were on a five-week tour out there. it is a beautiful place and the people, are very friendly.

"It is a great honour for the club for the council to do this."

Leicester Place will be set in a suburb of Whanganui that has already had other streets renamed after English counties, after a recent subdivision means that two new streets have been named in recent years.

McDouall said: "Maybe it can inspire the Whanganui rugby team to lift the Ranfurly Shield", the sort of upset only Leicester City could pull off.