DARWEN Tower can be seen across Blackburn with Darwen and beyond, stood proudly on Darwen Hill, watching over the town's folk below.

The 86ft landmark was Darwen's tribute to Queen Victoria' Diamond Jubilee in June 1897.

Around £700 (worth roughly £88,000 in today's money) was raised for its construction by public donations.

It took more than a year to build and was officially opened by the lord of the manor, the rev W.A Duckworth, on September 24 1898.

To mark the event a huge bonfire was lit and school children were invited to watch the celebrations.

The tower stands 1,225ft above sea level and used to fashion a metal and glass dome before it was blown off during high winds in 1947 before a replica was replaced in 1972.

On a clear day, you can see Preston,Blackpool, Morecambe Bay and parts of Merseyside from the top of the tower.

The tower is currently undergoing repairs to fix loose section of concrete and surrounding masonry stone on the underside of the tower’s top viewing platform.