HISTORIC parades which were under threat of being cancelled have been saved following intervention by the police and the county council.

The police have confirmed they will marshal parades in the Ribble Valley until March 31, 2015 after withdrawing their support recently.

The county council intends to establish an accredited training prog- ramme which would enable event organisers to have members of the community trained to marshal events.

They will undertake the police role once the constabulary support ends next year. Earlier this year, Clitheroe’s St George’s Day parade was called off after the police said it could not marshal it, only to reverse the decision but by then the event had been called off.

It was the first time in 100 years that the parade hadn’t been run and was to coincide with the centenary of Clitheroe District Scouts.

Other historic parades that have been saved in the borough include the town council’s mayor-making and Clitheroe Royal Grammar School’s Commemoration Day.

Mary Robinson, chairman of Clitheroe District Scouts, said: “This is good news and at least there is a plan for the future.

“The police’s decision was too late for us this year and it was very disappointing.

“The new cut-off is before our St George’s Day parade next year so we are left trying to organise volunteers quickly again. It’s just yet another thing that we have to do. It’s good that parades have a future in the borough and we will have to look at ways of getting volunteers together.

“It was very disappointing that the parade didn’t go ahead this year but hopefully that will never happen again.”

Lancashire County Council recently issued new advice which sees a relaxation in the rules about closing roads for parades and events on the highways.

The new rules spell out that roads can be closed for parades and other activities by using signs and stewards, thus avoiding the need for the police or accredited marshals to direct traffic.