BLACKBURN MP Jack Straw donned his bobble hat as he showed his support for a campaign to keep pensioners warm in winter.

As the first frosts of 2014 started to appear in the region, Mr Straw gave his backing to a nationwide ‘Bobble Day’ at Blackburn with Darwen’s Age UK headquarters in King Street.

Bobble Day is part of the charity’s Winter Warmth campaign and is also being supported by Age UK Lancashire. Mr Straw said: “I am a great believer in hats and I wear a variety of them, from formal wear to a flatcap and to my woolly hat at the Rovers or when I am out walking. You lose a lot of your body heat through your head so I think it is a good idea to raise awareness of this.”

Age UK Blackburn with Darwen’s chief executive Vicky Shepherd said it was crucial for them to raise awareness of how the cold winter months can affect the elderly.

She said: “Bobble Day is a fundraiser for us to raise money for local people and we have done quite a lot of work with schools and businesses who support us.

“It is a light-hearted way to put across a serious message, which is it is important to keep warm and well in winter.” Mrs Shepherd said winter could be a dangerous time for older people.

She said: “People can struggle with their bills for heating and some who can’t get out of the house very often don’t realise how cold their home can be. They may not realise how important is is to have hot drinks and meals to keep warm. Older people, especially those already suffering from health problems, can be susceptible to becoming colder and more poorly.”