THERE was a carnival atmosphere and international flavour to Darwen’s Food Festival at the weekend.

Thousands of people attended the event on Saturday where visitors could enjoy Greek, Indian cuisine and many more tastes from around the world – and also try different ales in the beer tent.

The outdoor event, organised by Darwen Town Council, took over the town’s new square and also featured some of the best food from around the county.

Cllr Jim Shorrock, mayor of Blackburn with Darwen, said: “It is brilliant and a fantastic use of the area which has had a lot of money invested in it by the council.

"It's perfect for events like this.

“There is a real buzz in Darwen now so it is great to see so many people down here on an autumnal day.

“There is a great mix of food stalls so there is great international cuisine for Lancastrians.”

Lindsay Fleming, 41, from Darwen, said: “It was a really great event.

“There is so many different foods and it is nice to see so many people here.”

Patrick Flynn, 56, also from Darwen, was there with family including Eli Stanley, six and Eli’s brother Reid, two, said: “The family are loving it – especially the very traditional food.”

One of the organisers Samantha Taylor said: “I think overall this has been our busiest event yet.

“It has been stable and is great to show off Darwen to people coming from other areas.

“The feedback from the market traders too has been great.”