A CENTURY of one of the most famous names in the industrial world was celebrated across East Lancashire on Saturday.

Vintage cars and aeroplane engines were on display to mark 100th anniversary of the first meeting between Charles Rolls and Henry Royce, in Manchester, in 1904. The event was at the Roll-Royce base in Barnoldswick, where the company's first jet engine research and development centre was established in 1943.

More than 800 workers are employed at the site in Skipton Road, parts of which were built 100 years ago, and the street was closed off to allow employees and their families, as well as the public, to enjoy the attractions.

Rolls-Royce took over an old cotton mill in Bankfield Road, Barnoldswick, in 1943. And during the height of production in the 1960s, more than 3,000 people worked at three sites in the town.

Today, they are the main facilities producing jet engine components for Rolls-Royce and have earned the Queen's Award for Industry for producing a unique fan blade.

The celebrations, opened by the original Calendar Girls, included a time tunnel through the firm's history and memorabilia exhibitions.

Other activities included an aircraft design contest for kids and a parade of classic Rolls-Royce cars, hot-air balloon rides and a show by local dance groups.

Bob Morley, operations director compression systems at the Barnoldswick site, said: "This was an excellent opportunity for colleagues, their families and friends to come together and celebrate the Rolls-Royce centenary at Barnoldswick."