BLACKBURN’S market opened for the first time on a Sunday as East Lancashire embraced its heritage for a series of events celebrating the area’s traditions.

More than 100 events and activities took place at 50 venues, including the market opening for trading, as part of the town’s heritage festival.

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Alex Fisher, a Lancashire clog dancing expert, hosted a line-up of cloggers and musicians in Church Street, and there was a display of steam engines presented by Blackburn-based specialists Heritage Painting.

On Saturday, there were arts and crafts workshops for children, while a Punch and Judy show took place yesterday.

Corporation Park’s historic conservatory was open to the public and Blackburn Museum also ran special events.

Holy Trinity Church in Mount Pleasant, Blackburn, opened both days to give visitors an opportunity to look around the Grade II listed building.

And those who attended the events were delighted.

Jane Charnley, a sewing machinist from Blackburn, said: “We saw the fairground outside the town hall, which was excellent for children, and so were the steam engines.

“We watched the clog dancers and went over to the cathedral, where we saw a choir which was very good.”

Jane’s granddaughter, 13-year-old Chloe Reid, said: “The choir was singing Katy Perry songs, which I really liked.”

Tracy Moynihan, an accountant from Hoddlesden, said: “The atmosphere was great. Everyone seemed happy, which will have no doubt been helped by the lovely weather.

“It was great to see something like this in Blackburn, because we’ve always got things going on in Darwen, but it doesn’t happen here often.

“We missed the shire horses, which I was a bit upset about, but we saw the Victorian display on King William Street, which was fascinating.

“There was a variety of things for families, which I know kept my husband, Richard, and 10-year-old son Alex very entertained.”

Elsewhere, historic homes and landmarks across Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale threw open their doors to celebrate Heritage Weekend.

Funded by English Heritage, the festival aims to celebrate England’s fantastic architecture and culture by offering free access to places usually closed to the public, or which usually charge for admission.

Among the key attractions in Burnley was a tour of grade II* listed parish church of St Peter, which already features its own heritage centre. Church secretary David Smith said: “It was a huge success. More than 35 people came to have a look at the church. We opened the tower and the belfry to the public. People had a great view of the town as well as seeing the bells.

“We had an indoor tour led by historian Ken Spencer and an outdoor tour of the grounds and the graveyard, led by historian Roger Frost.

“It was a wonderful day.”

Over at Towneley Hall, staff in period costumes led tours of the Grade I listed building and showed them round the attics, cellars and Victorian kitchen areas – all usually closed to the public.