BLACKBURN and Darwen's very own radio station is set to burst back into life after being granted a licence to broadcast for a further 28 days.

And the people behind FM 106 The Burn promised it will be bigger and better than before.

The Radio Authority has granted the station a licence to broadcast from March 5 to April 1 with station manager Peter Salt hoping the station will become a permanent fixture.

He said: "We are aiming for a full-time licence, and the first step will be to get Blackburn on the Radio Authority's working list, which is something we're working at."

With its blend of classic hits, local news, sports, traffic and travel, weather and community information, the station proved a big hit with listeners.

Research carried out by Blackburn College showed that more than 25,000 people tuned in when the Lancashire Evening Telegraph-backed radio station hit the airwaves back in September.

Paul Mason, marketing manager at the college, said: "This research clearly demonstrates that the people of Blackburn and Darwen truly want their own permanent radio station with 70 per cent of the 530 people questioned saying they would listen."

The station is backed by the Fusion Radio Group, which operates across the country, as well as prominent community leaders such as Lord Adam Patel of Blackburn.

Peter Salt said the format of the station would be slicker when it returned.

He said: "We had some teething problems with the technical side of things in the first week last time but we will be ready from the start in March."

Next year's broadcast is timed to coincide with the Blackburn Shopping Centre Festival, which takes place over Easter.

Blackburn Shopping Centre manager, Arnold Wilcox-Wood, said: "This is great news for Blackburn and Darwen and the radio station will play a central role in the festivities we have planned over the Easter period."