THE Mayor's Ball held in Padiham was a huge success.

Hosted by the Mayor Coun Bob Clark and the Mayoress Mrs Hazel Rushton, the event was completely sold out.

Among civic guests who attended were the Mayor of Burnley, Coun Lillian Clark and her husband, Burnley MP Peter Pike and his wife Sheila, the Mayor of Whitworth Coun Alan Neal and the Mayoress Mrs Janet Neal.

Entertainment was provided by Carol Crowther (vocalist) and Julian Clark (one of the Mayor's son's) on the guitar and ukelele.

A superb buffet was then served with a selection of cold food and good Lancashire hot-pot.

After the food, a talented group of young people took the stage -- 'Snatchin' It Back' is a seven-piece band and brought the Big Sound to Padiham with a vengeance.

They played blues and rock and roll to keep guests dancing.

Thanks must be expressed to the Mayor and Mayoress for their wonderful efforts and also to Elizabeth Bolton who co-ordinated the affair, efficiently helped by members of the Mayoress' Committee.

A raffle raised £194, an auction of goods £200 and Christine Bond sold bottles of wine to the guests to raise around £300.

All monies raised will go towards the Padiham Community Fund to be distributed to local charities.

WORK is to start shortly on Padiham's cricket pavilion.

Reclaimed slates will be used to repair the roof and there will be a new kitchen.

The money has been jointly provided by Burnley Borough Council, Burnley Community Network and EB Nationwide Ltd.

It is hoped that the smart new pavilion will be ready for the start of the cricket season.

ST John the Baptist RC Primary School is expanding.

Plans on view at the planning office in Burnley show a proposal of two single-storey extensions to provide extra teaching areas and office accommodation.

The school is set in its own grounds and the extensions will not intrude on the sight line and planners say ot will in fact enhance the premises.

HAPTON villagers are astonished that they look likely to lose the public toilets on East Street.

Hapton is currently being marketed as a tourist area, both as part of the Burnley Way and as a place of refreshment for the users of the canal.

One of the advantages shown are the easily available public toilets.

One customer who is dismayed at their possible closure is the driver of the library van who parks by there when he brings the van to Water Street.

The matter of the closure will be raised at the next meeting of the Parish Council.