A popular festival which attracted hundreds of people to Leyland could be resurrected if a new town council is set up.

The Leyland Festival, which first started in 1899, could be brought back to try and inject more community spirit into the town.

The festival, held on the first Saturday in June, saw hundreds of people milling around the streets watching the parade, enjoying the festivities in Worden Park and a drink in the local pubs.

But in 2000 the festival hit the wall when organisers, the Leyland Festival Committee, ran out of money.

Derek Forrest, who is trying to set up the non-political town council, believes this type of event would encourage Leylanders to take more pride in their town.

"There used to be a time when you went on holiday and you'd say you were from Leyland and people knew exactly where you were from," he said.

"I doubt this is the case now. It's all about giving Leyland back its identity and making people proud of the place they live in."

The festival fell into financial difficulties when big companies like Cannings, which donated floats to community groups and schools for use in the parade, pulled out of Leyland. With the expense of hiring the vehicles thereafter many groups did not take part.

But organisers blame its ultimate demise on a lack of support from all sectors of the community.

Part of the event still remains with a craft fair, held at Leyland Methodist Church, Turpin Green Lane, and organised by Peter Houghton, a former member of the festival committee and current chairman of Leyland Historical Society.

He said: "It was terrible when we lost the festival because it was a huge part of the town's history.

"If it can be started again that would be wonderful but you need to have the right people doing it that are willing to work hard and the investment behind it."

Mr Forrest, who is also a Leyland councillor, is now in the process of getting 3,000 signatures from members of the public in support of Leyland Town Council.