A BLACKBURN pub may have changed hands but thanks to owners Enterprise Inns it has been kept in the family.

New landlady Lesley Lomax, of the Witton Inn, Redlam, took over the pub from her brother Chris Astley, 39.

Chris moved to a new pub in Penrith after four-and-a-half years behind the Blackburn bar with his partner Amy. They are to marry next year.

Lesley Lomax, 44, moved into the Witton Inn with her family at the end of November.

She lives above the pub with her husband Ian, 39, her sons Joshua, 7, Christopher, 19, and his girlfriend Gemma Thomas, 21 .

Gemma works behind the bar and Ian and Christopher help at a weekend or in the evening.

The former secretary, for engineering company Jig Boring Services, in Eanam, said she always wanted to have her own pub and when this opportunity came up she couldn't resist.

"I used to work in the pub part-time when my brother Chris ran it with his partner Amy. When he said he was moving to Penrith to run another, I jumped at the chance, it's something I've always wanted to do.

"I live above the pub with my family and my son's girlfriend Gemma who works with me in the pub. She's really good and has a lot of experience, she used to work at the Brownhill Arms, on Whalley New Road.

"My husband Ian works as an engineer and my son Chris works in the accounts department at a medical company.

"What with all the moving in and the Christmas period we've been run-off our feet, but it has been great.

"It's a pub I know well, I know everybody here and it makes a big difference, it certainly is a lot easier.

"Luckily I've got my family to rely on, which is just as well because it's going to get a lot busier."

Lesley said she will be putting on a disco soon and serving food midweek as well as at the weekend.

She has also got parties planned for both Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve and regular nights for the pool team on a Monday and a quiz night for a Thursday.