THE annual football season curtain raiser just keeps on getting bigger and bigger.

The Forbes Football Tournament, now in its sixth year, has been moved to Pleasington Playing Fields just to accomodate the increasing number of teams that flock to Blackburn from across the country.

Junior and senior teams from as far as Bristol to Cumbria and Cheshire to Newcastle took part in the event which is now the biggest of its kind in the North West -- and one of the most popular in the country.

The records speak for themselves as more than 7,000 players and spectators attended the two-day football extravaganza where a total of 190 teams played 500 matches in 17 different age groups on 19 pitches.

Despite teams coming from near and far, from Preston to Prestatyn, there were plenty of local winners -- with all but five of the winning trophies staying at East Lancashire clubs.

It is a far cry from the competition's early days at Blacksnape when organisers were crying out for more local teams.

But local teams enjoyed that winning feeling right across the board, from the boys Under Eights to the senior ladies.

And it was one of the area's most established clubs, Knuzden FC, who flew the flag for local teams, winning a junior and senior title. For the club's Under 12s team beat South Shore Youths 1-0 to win their age group before the club's senior side triumphed in one of five finals that went all the way to the dreaded penalty shoot-out.

Knuzden fought out a tense 0-0 battle with Bank Top, before holding their nerve to win 3-2 on spot kicks.

But it was Fulledge Colts who were the most successful of the junior teams, winning three age groups and finishing runners-up in another.

The Burnley club's first success came in the Under Nines final where they beat Akzo Nobel of Darwen 1-0. Fulledge also beat Accrington Stanley 2-0 to take the Under 16s title.

The talented club were involved in two of the five penalty shoot-outs, winning one and losing another.

After drawing 0-0 with Princes Villa, the Colts came out top in their first shoot-out, winning 5-4 to lift the Under 14s cup.

They were then involved in the pick of the penalty kick finales. The Under 17s final against Akzo Nobel was goalless at the end of normal time before Akzo eventually won 9-8 in the most dramatic of shoot-outs. Accrington Stanley Juniors can count themselves unlucky as they reached three finals only to win one of them.

Stanley beat Springfields 2-0 to win the Under Eights but went on to lose on penalties to Darwen Alex in the Under 11s final and the Under 16s against Fulledge.

Great Harwood Panthers also got their hands on some silverware, beating Northside 1-0 to win the Under 10s age group.

There was plenty to cheer about in the girls and ladies section. Burnley Girls and Ladies completed a double, beating Bury Girls 1-0 to win the Under 14s and then beat Accrington Stanley Girls and Ladies 2-1 in the senior final.

The Clarets were denied a hat-trick of wins after losing 1-0 to Padiham in the Under 16s final.

Ismail Esat, sports/league organiser for Blackburn and Darwen Council, paid tribute to everyone who made the competition such a big success, thanking staff at Witton Park, Direct Services and Audley Sports Centre as well as Blackburn Police, St Johns first aid team and Forbes Solicitors for sponsoring the event.

He said: "This tournament just keeps getting bigger and better year after year.

"There were plenty of winners on the pitch, but the real winner was the way teams conducted themselves and embraced the spirit of the competition. The event attracted teams from every community and it brings friendship and harmony between all sections."