PROMOTERS of the 16th annual Rishton Festival turned the town into East Lancashire’s capital of culture for a day.

Community groups worked with artist Ursula Hurst, of Art Daze, to fashion a host of colourful capers for the main parade.

And so it was that giant sunflowers, all kinds of bugs and some of the art world’s most recognisable paintings rubbed shoulders for the procession from Rishton Station to Hyndburn Academy.

Cllr Jeff Scales and fellow organisers arranged a host of fun and games, a beer tent and plenty of other attractions on the school field for the festival, which was well blessed by the weather.

Rotarians and Soroptimists, watched over by neighbourhood police, ensured the parade, which featured Beavers, Rainbows, Churches Together In Rishton, St Peter and St Paul’s Junior Church, Toppers Day Nursery and Rockmount NW, among others, went by without a hitch.

Mayor and Mayoress of Hyndburn, Cllrs June Harrison and Joyce Plummer, headed up proceedings, which were kicked off by an official address by the Great Harwood town crier, Rawden Kerr. The Blackburn Festival of Light Street Band was also on hand to keep everyone in step.

Cllr Scales said: “This has been a celebration of the creativity of our community.”