CARERS as young as six years old helped to raise awareness of youngsters who look after family members in Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley.

At a glittering event in Accrington young carers, supported by the Carers Link Lancashire, spoke about the difficulties they face on a day-to-day basis.

Among the guests at the town's library was former Emmerdale star Ursula Holden-Gill as well as Hyndburn MP Graham Jones and the mayors for each borough.

The event was organised to shine a spotlight on young carers, marking the UK-wide ‘Young Carers Awareness Day’.

Cllr Bridget Hilton, mayor of the Ribble Valley, said: "It was an extremely good evening and hearing the young people speak was very sobering and inspiring.

"They spoke about the difficulties that they face such as being bullied at school and coming across unsympathetic teachers because they have not done their homework.

"These people might not have been told that the young person is a carer which is sometimes the problem.

"There were people there from the age of 18 right down to six-years-old.

"Carers Link Lancashire is a vitally important organisation and it does amazing work with people from across the region."

Representatives from Accrington Rotary, Healthwatch, Spring into Action and SureStart had the opportunity to meet the youngsters as each took to the stage to say their name, their age and who they cared for.

Hyndburn mayor Cllr Marlene Haworth said: "It was a brilliant and quite inspiring night.

"The youngest carer there was a girl aged six who looks after a member of her family.

"The Carers Link does an amazing job and helps them so much.

"The carers were so happy and I just got so moved by it all.

"It was a really good event and they are such a worthwhile cause and I think we should give these young people all of the support that we can."

Carole Moulton, young carers development worker at Carers Link Lancashire, said: "We hope to raise awareness about young carers and the difficult roles they undertake caring for someone in their family and also the impact this has on them as children and young people.

"By hosting an event such as this we want to reach hidden young carers and we can only do this by support from other agencies and people who come into contact with young carers.”