THE first Burnley carnival for nearly a decade should be a huge success.

Burnley Round Table, who are planning the summer festival, have been inundated with calls from interested organisations after the Citizen first reported the plans on February 8.

For the first time since the mid-80s, a procession of floats will make its way through the town centre towards Towneley Park, where there will be entertainments galore. The date set is August 3.

Carnival chairman Duncan Baldwin said the Round Table was very pleased with the response so far. He said anyone wanting a float or stall should get in touch quickly.

He told us: "Preparations are coming along well. Bookings are pouring in, and I would encourage anyone who is interested to get in touch now.

"We are unlikely to run out of space at Towneley, but the prime sites will go first. A lot of interest has been generated, and calls have been coming in from all kinds of organisations, including local drama and musical groups, churches, charities and commercial organisations.

"There is still plenty of room for floats, but I would urge people not to leave it late, because there is a limit."

One of the groups planning a float is the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Secretary Cynthia Lockwood said: "We think the carnival is a very good idea, and I'm sure other groups do too. It should be a splendid occasion, and an excellent opportunity for charities to raise money, especially in difficult times like these."

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