A FREE film fiesta is to celebrate Burnley’s former ‘textile centre of the world’ status.

Young people from the town, aged between 14 and 24, have been researching the town’s history and have produced two films, to be played alongside archive footage, at Burnley Mechanics, this Sunday, from 6pm.

The first film, called ‘Weave a Future’, is a half-hour documentary showing interviews with former mill workers, and research on cotton history.

It is followed by ‘Weave a Future: Hope and Peace’, a six-minute movie poem written by the young people working with established poet Tony Walsh.

Gill Brailey, of Lancashire County Council cultural services, said: “Young people in Burnley have been exploring their textile heritage through looking at the buildings, old photographs, and by talking to people whose lives were spent in the mills.

“The film follows their responses to their discoveries.”

Melissa Cooke, who took part in the project, said: “I’ve lived in Burnley all my life and seen the mills, but never thought anything of them. The project sounded interesting, so I went along and really enjoyed it.

“I even learned that cotton came from a plant and not sheep – and it wasn’t just me, loads of people think that!”

Free tickets for the film screenings are available via www.burnleymechanics.co.uk or by telephoning 079312 34890.