PENDLE'S annual balloon festival is set to be the biggest yet, say organisers.

Balloons over Barlick is to take to the skies tomorrow and because of its growing popularity will, for the first time, last all bank holiday weekend.

Highlight of the three-day event in Victory Park will be tomorrow night when the night glow - a spectacular night time balloon show - will take place.

This year's theme will be flight and the theme will be carried through the rest of the festival with a flights of fancy parade, featuring lanterns made by children and kite flying displays.

Barnoldswick Community Arts Group chairman David Whipp said: "Besides breathtaking balloons, the event features international performers direct from the Edinburgh Festival with fire jugglers, trapeze artists, street theatre and acrobats.

"The number of visitors has shot up in the last couple of years and the event has been allowing more people than ever to experience the magic of being close to these giants of the air."

The free event, now in its fourth year, recently featured on a TV programme further boosting its popularity.

Weather permitting, there will be balloon launches from the site at about 6.30am tomorrow, Sunday and Monday. Mass launches will take place tomorrow and Sunday at 6.30pm.

Night glow will start after 9pm and other performances will take place between 5pm and 9pm tomorrow and 2pm until 7pm on Sunday.