THE Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival held in Colne over the August bank holiday weekend has been nominated for a major award.

The 2017 event which featured Joanne Shaw Taylor, Aynsley Lister and Janiva Magness has been nominated in the Blues Based Festival of The Year category in the British Blues Awards.

The festival has also been nominated for the Small Tourism Event Award 2017 in the Lancashire Tourism Awards.

Last year the running of the festival was taken over by Colne Town Council.

Councillor Joe Cooney, chairman of the blues working group, said: “It’s brilliant news we’ve been nominated for UK Federation Blues Award. While 2017 was a great event we are already planning on making 2018 even better.”

Voting for the award opens today and Coun Cooney urged people to get behind Colne who face competition from events in Carlisle, Maryport, Ealing and Upton.

This year’s festival will run from Friday, August 24 to Sunday, August 26.

To vote visit www.ukbluesawards.com/register