A DOCUMENTARY will be filmed about a historic tower which is more than 100 years old as part of a campaign to raise money to repair the town landmark.

Work at Over Darwen House are preparing to film a documentary about the history of the 120-year-old Darwen Tower and have organised a community walk to be included in the film.

The plans come just weeks after the 85ft tower on Darwen Hill closed after a routine inspection revealed a loose section of concrete and surrounding masonry stone on the underside of the tower’s top viewing platform.

The landmark reopened three weeks ago after temporary measures were put in place but more work needs to be done to secure the use of the tower for future generations.

The group Friends of Darwen has estimated the repairs will cost around £100,000, and the town has come together to try and generate the funds required for the repairs.

Samantha Taylor, operations manager at Work at Over Darwen House, has called on people from Darwen, as well as Blackburn and other parts of East Lancashire, to climb the tower at exactly the same time on July 22 for an event called Big Tower Walk.

The walk, which will be captured on camera and by drones, is being filmed as part of a documentary This is Darwen.

The film will be about the history of the Jubilee Tower, which was built in 1898 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee and to celebrate residents’ victory for the right to access the moor.

So far, more than 2,000 people confirmed they will be attending on the Facebook event page, which organisers said has been viewed 80,000 times.

Ms Taylor said: “We want to get as many people up to the tower as possible. It will be a fun event to bring the community together and a film crew will be capturing it all on camera.

“We want to make something that shows the community of Darwen and an educational piece that can be watched at local schools.”

Town centre businesses, including Artisan Cafe and Wine Bar and Taps Bar, have told organisers they will be opening early on Sunday, July 22, and serving breakfast for the walk.

A spokesman for Taps Bar said: “It’s a brilliant idea and will bring the community together. We do not normally do breakfast but we are going to open at 8.30am for the walk and then walk up with the locals to the tower.”

To support the tower fundraiser, visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/help-repair-darwen-tower.