A SPECTACULAR celebration of Rossendale's twinning links with German town Bocholt will be held on October 12 and 13.

A total of 250 people from Bocholt will travel to the borough to join in the 50th anniversary celebrations and it is planned to hold a festival for Bocholt on Sunday.

The Rossendale-Bocholt arrangement is the seventh longest of 400 Anglo-German twinning links across the country.

And even though it is 50 years old, it is one of the strongest with hundreds if not thousands of contacts made over the years and a regular exchange of visitors.

Celebrations of the anniversary began in February when 70 people from Rossendale took part in the Karneval in Bocholt and a commemorative plaque in beech wood was presented.

There will also be a weekend of celebrations in Bocholt on September 28 and 29 and plans are being finalised for Rossendale's event in October.

Friends' secretary Tim Nuttall said: "Shawforth Majorettes and Bacup St John's Scout Band are each playing host to music groups.

"They have programmes already arranged, but have also agreed to appear at a day-long event, to be hosted by the Friends of Bocholt on the Sunday in Rawtenstall's Astoria Ballroom.

"We would like to invite as many groups as possible which have had links with Bocholt in the past to appear at the festival.

"They will show the Bocholt visitors not only how much we appreciate their presence here, but also the amount of talent which Rossendale has to offer.

"Our hope and aim is to strengthen the twin-town link and to increase the contacts between groups in the two towns or or rekindle old links."

It is hoped to give each group a 20 to 30 minute slot in the programme for the day.

The event will be free for the public and refreshments will be provided by the Friends of Bocholt.

Tim added: "We would also like to decorate the Astoria with an exhibition related to the past 50 years.

"If anyone has any memorabilia which could be displayed, not only relating to Bocholt but also to the history and achievement of groups, we would be happy to find space for it over the weekend to give a backdrop to the festival."