ORGANISERS behind Ramsbottom’s popular Chocolate Festival have said that this year’s event will be the biggest and best yet.

The event has attracted 30,000 people to the town in the past, but its future was thrown into doubt last year after Bury Council withdrew its support due to funding constraints.

The extravaganza on Saturday, April 12 and Sunday, April 13 has been organised by Ramsbottom Business Group, who said that among the many new features, was a new family area, ‘chocolate factory’ and other children’s activities. Organiser Paul Morris, of The Chocolate Cafe, said: “We also have some great new traders, including a wonderful company coming over from Italy, which makes handmade chocolate tools using actual tool moulds of hammers and spanners.”