Plaque honours 'truly inspiring' Girls Aloud star

Sarah Harding grew up in Stockport, where a mural of her was created earlier this year

A plaque which honours Girls Aloud singer Sarah Harding is due to be unveiled in her adopted hometown.

Harding, who died with breast cancer at the age of 39 in 2021, was born in Ascot but moved as a child to Stockport, where she went to school and college.

She later worked at two nightclubs in the Grand Central complex before entering the ITV talent show, Pop Stars: The Rivals, in 2002, when she became part of Girls Aloud.

John Barratt, who helped set up the plaque and promotes Stockport’s musical heritage, said Harding was “a huge part of Stockport's story and her journey from here to the global stage is truly inspiring”.

Girls Aloud are Britain's biggest-selling girl group of the 21st Century

The plaque will be unveiled on 6 October on High Street in the town, near a mural of Harding created earlier in 2024 as part of the Stockport music map tour.

The event will end with a party at a local bar, featuring screenings of Girls Aloud performances.

The bar will donate some of their takings to The Christie Charity and the Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal.

A mural of Sarah Harding was created on High Street by artist Degsy

Harding was treated at The Christie in Manchester following her diagnosis in 2020 and said she wanted to find new ways of detecting breast cancer earlier.

Her consultant at the hospital, Dr Sacha Howell, who is leading a study as part of Harding’s legacy, said: "Sarah often spoke to me about breast cancer research and was passionate about understanding why young women are being diagnosed without any family history of the disease.”