A TRADITIONAL Burnley weavers' holiday was celebrated for the 16th year with a fair and entertainment.

Before the mills were built the "Saint Monday" was taken as an unofficial holiday following a good weekend of sales.

The town's weavers' triangle brought the festival back as a fun day and this year it attracted a large number of visitors to various attractions.

Charities from the hospice to guide dogs held stalls and organised games and tombolas.

Mid Pennine Arts sponsored the first visit to Burnley of street entertainers What A Palaver and musicians from the Burnley Alliance Junior Band played on the day.

One of the organisers Brian Hall said: "The event takes its name from the time when hand loom weavers worked in their own homes and sometimes extended the weekend by taking an extra day off on Monday, catching up with their work later in the week.

"As holidays were usually on Saints' Day the extra days off were often referred to as 'Saint Monday'. The practice ended at the time of the industrial revolution when the new factory owners insisted on strict working hours."

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