LEADING members of the community have joined forces to support Blackburn with Darwen's bid to become a city.

The area has officially submitted its bid to become a city - an honour being awarded to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee next year - which would open the way to key grants and boost tourism.

Preston, Bolton and Blackpool are among the borough's rivals after it failed in a similar bid last year.

And as well as having the backing of all three political parties on the council, community leaders from across the borough are showing their support too.

Among them is Blackburn Rovers' boss Graeme Souness.

He said: "Blackburn Rovers were founder members of the Football league and have a long and proud tradition, like the borough, which recently celebrated its 150th anniversary.

"We have an excellent working partnership with the council and would be delighted for the borough to receive City Status, to match our own elevation to the Premiership."

Support from Blackburn MP Jack Straw could prove crucial. When the town last bid for City Status Mr Straw was Home Secretary and could not be seen to be backing the town because the competition was being decided by his department.

Now he has moved to the Foreign Office he intends to give the bid all the support he can in Westminster.

He said: "It would have a very satisfying historical resonance if, four generations later, the granting of that Charter exactly 50 years before the end of Queen Victoria's reign, was enhanced by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth marking the 50th year of her reign with the award of City Status to Blackburn with Darwen.

"It would also be an enormous honour for the borough and its citizens and one which its proud history and modern position and the heart of the economic and cultural life of the region deserves."

Janet Anderson, MP for Rossendale and Darwen, also gave her backing.

She said: "Blackburn with Darwen has a clear vision of the sort of place it wants to be by 2020 and has enunciated it in its Community Plan.

"That Plan, though, also celebrated the really good aspects of the borough which already exist: Its diverse economy and expanding technological base; its community facilities; its justifiable local pride and celebration of its multi-cultural inheritance; its entertainment and cultural facilities which draw people from across East Lancashire; and its national reputation in sport!

"I believe that Blackburn with Darwen's recognition as a city would be a very well deserved honour."

Blackburn is the only town in Lancashire to have an Anglican cathedral. Such history, the council hopes, will stand it in good stead as judges look for an area with culture and history.

The Bishop of Blackburn, the Right Rev Alan Chesters, said: "The Cathedral significantly stands at the heart of the Borough of Blackburn with Darwen.

"It is a symbol of how the Christian church, taking its place at the centre of the community.

"City Status would raise the borough's profile, enabling it more easily to turn disadvantage to advantage for all its people, of all faiths and none."

Ibrahim Master, from Lancashire Council of Mosques, said: "There is a good relationship within the local communities in Blackburn with Darwen where people from different cultures feel able to value their own traditions while contributing to the overall life of the borough in friendship and co-operation. This is an environment where people are allowed to flourish."

Business leaders are also behind the project.

Capita chairman Rod Aldridge, said: "We have chosen Blackburn with Darwen as our location for a business centre to serve the North West of England because of its good communication links and stable, reliable workforce, but also because it has one of the most forward thinking and innovative councils in the country. It thoroughly deserves City Status."