A Whalley-based footwear brand, that started out by selling on market stalls, is enjoying a year of exciting and busy events.

Lanx shoes, which was founded in 2018, planned to attend 45 shows, fairs and festivals this summer with some events still upcoming.

Founder Marco Vaghetti has reflected on the business’ humble origins on market stalls.

He said: “When LANX first started out it was on market stalls and pop-up shopping events across the north west.

“I have fond memories of selling my very first pairs of shoes on Chorlton Makers Market [which operate on various Sundays across the north west] in the pouring rain.

“Those early market events gave us the opportunity to meet our customers and hear direct from them what they liked about the brand and what they wanted to see with our products going forwards.

“While we don’t promote on markets any longer, we do attend more than 40 events each summer.

"It means we still get out and about to different venues and have that valuable face-to-face time with old and new customers alike."

This year the business will make a “record” 45 appearances at events.

Marco said: “We’ve just got back from The Game Fair which is the biggest country show in the UK and we booked our largest plot to date, a whopping 54 square metres.

“We’re still looking forward to a number of further events this summer, including some popular Lancashire shows and festivals such as Cuckoo Gin’s Nestival (August 4 to 6), Garstang Show (August 5), Lancashire Game and Country Fair (September 9 and 10), and in Cumbria the Westmorland Show is taking place on September 13 and 14.”

Lanx is a high-end footwear brand specialising in traditional shoes with a local twist.

The soles of its shoes are stamped with the image of its mascot, the British White Bull, whose origins are linked to the county.

It has stores in Mitton Business Park and Manchester’s Northern Quarter.

It sells both men’s and women’s footwear ranging from boots to trainers. It also sells t-shirts, sweatshirts and socks.