AN envelope-making machine believed to be the oldest of its kind in the world has been saved from destruction and put on public display in a Darwen park.

Employees from Frank Barnes of Darwen were hired to remove the machine for scrap from Chapman Envelopes, in Grimshaw Bridge, some months ago. Bosses at Chapman Envelopes had tried to find someone to take the machine off their hands when they had a new extension built but failed to get anyone interested.

As a last resort they decided to scrap it - which was when Paul Grunshaw, crane hire manager at Frank Barnes, stepped in and decided to find a good home for the machine, which is around 116 years old. Yesterday the huge machine was moved by crane from Frank Barnes to its new home in Ashton Park. It was installed on a concrete base made by Greenfingers of Darwen.

Mr Grunshaw said: "We have had it at our site in Frederick Street for a couple of months but it is finally on show for the public again. It was nice to be involved in moving it to the park after storing it for so long."

The machine was used at Chapman Envelopes until 1956 when it was installed on a concrete plinth outside the premises along with the plaque. It got in the way when the company began an extension at their site, in Eccleshill, prompting the move to Ashton Park.

Mr Grunshaw said: "The plaque refers to it as an MG Papermaking Cylinder manufactured in 1888 for Bentley and Jackson Ltd of Bury. It is believed to be the oldest cylinder of its kind in the world. It came to The Folds paper makers, later Chapman Envelopes, in 1931 and was used to make cellulose wadding."

Darwen Civic Society secretary Jack Fisher said: "It is a welcome addition to Darwen's roadside museum which includes a couple of machines outside Darwen Vale and a wallpaper machine and steam engine outside India Mill. It is a reminder of the importance of the paper making industry to Darwen."