FORGET the cold weather, the people in one East Lancashire town have issued a rallying cry for more frilly undies.

A recent survey found that underwear shops were top of the wishlist of new retailers for some shoppers in Darwen.

The results of the Blackburn with Darwen Council survey will be presented at a council meeting later in the month.

Principle scrutiny officer for the council, Paul Conlon, said: "Some of the young ladies came up to us saying they wanted an Ann Summers type shop in Darwen.

"We want to know what people want so we can meet those needs.

"In this process we will also visit markets in places like Bury and Bolton to see what their visions are, and if our visions match up.

"We wanted real information from real shoppers."

The results of the survey pleased husband and wife team Alan and Gillian Bradley, both 38, who have opened a lingerie shop in Duckworth Street.

The couple, of Grimshaw Street, Darwen, launched Almost Sinful, which specialises in designer and wedding lingerie, a week before Christmas.

Alan said: "Gillian decided that she wanted to run a lingerie shop because when we got married last year, she really struggled to get decent wedding lingerie, and so we knew that there was a need for it here.

"When we went to register the shop with the council, they said how bizarre it was because they'd just done a survey of what shops people wanted in Darwen and a lingerie shop came out top."

Gillian said: "We used to go to Ann Summers in Black-burn and the Trafford Centre, but people don't want to have to go all that way.

"This is a small town and should have things like this in it."