A NEWLY selected steering group has pledged to attract cash to transform an Oswaldtwistle park.

Earlier this year, Hyndburn Council's cabinet approved the selection of Rhyddings Park as the pilot for a scheme to hand over control of the borough's parks to residents.

The authority then appealed for locals to get involved in a Friends of Rhyddings Park, whose remit would be to improve it and encourage people to use it.

The newly formed group has now appointed two local residents as chairman and vice-chairman, Neil Mooney and Hazel Wilkinson.

Council leader Coun Peter Britcliffe, who is also chairman of Oswaldtwistle Area Council, said: "These appointments are the next step in giving the power to the people in the running of our parks and I'm looking forward to seeing Rhyddings Park going from strength to strength in the future."

Chairman Mr Mooney said: "We can really get to work on attracting funding to make improvements and one of our first projects is a fun day with a Hallowe'en theme."

The event will be on Saturday, October 29, and activities include making bat and bird boxes, willow weaving and a dog show. Prizes will be given to the children with the best costume and visitors can help plant 1,000 daffodil bulbs.

There will also be a quiz trail and a countryside ranger will guide tree walks.

The council is also planning to bid for a £1million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund to transform the park. A similar bid in 1998 failed as the council was too cash-strapped to put up the match funding.

Anyone interested in getting involved can go to a meeting of the Friends of Rhyddings Park at Oswaldtwistle Civic Theatre tonight at 6pm or contact devolution co-ordinator Nicole Cook on 01254 380198.