DON'T have the wool pulled over your eyes -- the best dressed sheep in Clitheroe are taking over the castle this weekend!

For the second year running, two baa-rmy men are staging SheepFest, a celebration of the animal which dominates rural life.

And Charles Pearce and Steve Ragnall hope the event will bring crowds flocking to the town to see scores of decorated life-sized models.

The first SheepFest was held last year, with the sheepish duo trawling about shops and businesses in the town urging people to make sheep to display outside their premises.

Such was the success of the event, that they decided to make it an annual attraction, to tie in with the Great Days music festival which is also held in the town every June.

This year, they've expanded the project to get local primary schools involved, each of which have created their own life-sized sheep and decorated it accordingly.

Both Charles and Steve are members of FROGS -- Friends of the Gas Works -- a voluntary campaign group which aims to promote cultural facilities in Clitheroe through the development of the town's old gasworks site.

Steve said: "It's a crazy idea, but Charles came up with it as something different to do.

"We wanted to do something which would promote a bit of creativity in the town and this is what we came up with.

"When we first went round shops and businesses in the town centre, people thought we were mad, but when they realised we were serious they all joined in.

"We had sheep appearing across the town centre. They were all shapes and sizes, and it made for a real talking point.

"Of course, it was good way of reminding people of the important role farming has played in the development of Clitheroe over the years."

The sheep, currently stored at the United Reform Church in Moor Lane, go on display all weekend.

Last year's event was widely praised for bringing visitors to Clitheroe, and won an award at the Mayor of Clitheroe's annual presentation lunch, held to recognise those who have made a difference to the town. Steve added: "People can also go sheep spotting around the town centre.

"It's something totally off the wall, but hopefully something which will get people bleating."