The Chester & District Football League will have a new name from the start of the 2015-16 season.

Following a successful appeal to the Football Association, the competition will be renamed the Chester & Wirral Football League.

Officials wanted to change the name to reflect the membership of the league, which was established in 1894.

Over the past few seasons the demise of leagues elsewhere has contributed to an increase in teams from Ellesmere Port and Wirral, and the area now accounts for half of the membership.

However, the county association rejected the proposed name change.

The league's management committee opted to appeal that decision to the FA and last week a delegation attended a hearing at Wembley Stadium.

The FA panel unanimously upheld the appeal and sanctioned the name change from the start of new season.

Member clubs and officers confirmed the change a few days later when the league held its annual general meeting.

League secretary Paul Graham said: "Apart from giving our clubs from Wirral a greater sense of belonging, this decision will assist the league further in reversing the downward trend in Saturday afternoon football at grassroots level.

"There have already been tangible benefits brought to us by our neighbours, not least the improved standard of football and competitiveness. The 121-year-old reputation and tradition of the league will carry on as normal."

Teams are drawn from across Chester and Cheshire West extending into Frodsham and Helsby. There is a strong representation from Ellesmere Port and from the Wirral stretching from Eastham through Birkenhead and into Wallasery.

The league have now entered a period of rebranding which will see a new logo created and the website and documentation updated to reflect the change.