BLACKBURN with Darwen Council was today celebrating having kept its top three-star award for providing social services to the borough.

And Lancashire County was also happy having been promoted to a two-star "satisfactory" status.

It serves the elderly, disabled, and children with problems in Burnley, Pendle, Rossendale, Ribble Valley, Hyndburn and Chorley.

The top marks came in the Commission for Social Care Inspection's annual ratings for councils.

Blackburn with Darwen is one of 20 local authorities to get the three-star award which it first won last year.

The judgment says that it is serving most adults well and most children well.

And it says the capacity for the authority to improve services to adults and children is excellent.

Lancashire County has been elevated from one star to two stars and it says it is serving most adults well and its capacity to improve adult services is promising.

The inspectorate says it is serving some children well but has an excellent chance of improving children's services.

Executive member for social services at Blackburn with Darwen Council Councillor Maureen Bateson welcomed the award.

She said: "Hundreds of people benefit from the care and support provided by social services."

Director of Social Services, Stephen Sloss, added: "I would like to thank staff for their hard work."