Four new memorial plaques installed at the Steve Prescott Bridge celebrating sporting great's life and legacy
St Helens Borough Council has installed four new memorial plaques on the iconic Steve Prescott Bridge, honouring the extraordinary life, achievements and legacy of one of the borough's most inspirational figures.
Article date: 18 December 2025
The plaques - recognising the man, his accomplishments in rugby league, his life after rugby, his remarkable courage in the face of terminal illness, and the lasting legacy he leaves behind - are positioned at each end of the bridge to complement the new black granite memorial stone laid earlier this year.
The installation forms part of ongoing maintenance and enhancement works on the Steve Prescott Bridge, named in tribute to the St Helens-born rugby league star and founder of the Steve Prescott Foundation (SPF), who passed away in 2013 after a courageous seven-year battle with the rare cancer Pseudomyxoma Peritonei.
The new plaques further elevate the commemorative space created earlier in the year when a long-lasting granite memorial replaced the original vinyl tribute installed in 2014. Provided and fitted at no cost to the council by St Helens-based Intaglio Creative, the stone memorial was made possible through the social value commitment of council contractor George Cox & Sons Ltd, who have carried out major maintenance works on the bridge this year. Improvements included cleaning and repainting the arches and parapets, and re-waterproofing and sealing the bridge deck.
Councillor Kate Groucutt, St Helens Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Business and Inclusive Growth, said:
"Steve Prescott holds a unique place in the heart of our borough. His courage, drive and service to others continue to inspire people of all ages, here and far beyond St Helens. These new plaques ensure that Steve's incredible legacy is honoured in a meaningful way, and that his story will be told to all who cross the bridge bearing his name.
"The Steve Prescott Bridge is a landmark of pride for our community, and we are committed to ensuring it remains a fitting tribute to a man who will never be forgotten."
Linzi Prescott, Steve's widow and Trustee of the Steve Prescott Foundation, said:
"For me and the boys, these new plaques on the Steve Prescott Bridge mean so much. They capture Stephen's journey — his childhood in St Helens, his passion for rugby, and his incredible bravery during his illness — in a way that ensures his story will live on long after we can no longer tell it ourselves.
"Knowing that people will walk across this bridge and learn about the person he was fills us with pride and comfort. We are truly thankful to St Helens Borough Council for bringing this to life, and to Intaglio Creative for crafting such beautiful and heartfelt plaques that honour Stephen's legacy forever."
Born in St Helens on 26 December 1973, Steve Prescott MBE grew up proud of his community and driven by a passion for sport from an early age. A former pupil of St John Vianney Primary School and De La Salle High School, he excelled in rugby, football and athletics, fulfilling his dream of representing his hometown club in the famous red and white jersey. His dedication, discipline and talent earned him admiration both on and off the field.
After his diagnosis with pseudomyxoma peritonei, Steve channelled his resilience into undertaking some of the most demanding endurance challenges imaginable, raising awareness, vital funds and inspiring countless people. His belief that "what the mind believes, the body achieves" became a beacon of hope for others facing adversity.
First dedicated in February 2014, the Steve Prescott Bridge stands as a symbol of strength, unity and pride within St Helens. Refurbished in 2025, the addition of the new plaques further cements the bridge's role as a lasting monument to a man whose legacy continues to uplift and inspire.