ROSSENDALE Carnival was the "best ever" with hundreds joining the parade and thousands packing Bacup town centre.

Organiser and Town Crier Peter Gill expressed delight with the carnival which he said was the best yet.

"The centre was thronged with happy, joyful people enjoying a wonderful day," he said. "Visitors from far afield congratulated the town on putting on a super show with a real carnival atmosphere -- it was superb."

Last year Mr Gill issued a 'use it or lose it' warning to Rossendale residents following poor spectator support for the procession. But he had no complaints this year.

Glorious summer sunshine greeted many bands, majorettes and rose queens, who were joined by 80-year-old Bacup pearly king Thomas Hampson and community groups including Bacup Consortium, Bacup and Stacksteads Sure Start, Weir Lodges and Woodland Trust and members of Bacup Youth Theatre.

The theme of Commonwealth captured the imagination of the parade with many flags being shown, but the funniest interpretation was a family who dressed as common -- mum wearing a leopard-print short dress -- and wealth -- smartly dressed son and husband with mobile phones!

Horses featured in the parade and several mums pushed their toddlers in pushchairs, and as the parade reached Bacup the crowds watching joined the procession.

Mr Gill said: "The roadside support was tremendous -- even parts of the route away from homes were lined with people who made a real effort to support the show."

"Even the spectators were jigging and dancing to the beat of the bands."

"The town centre was heaving all day -- we couldn't have hoped for more. It has been exceptional."

In the town centre the market was open for the first time with many car boot sale stalls and the Co-op allowed their car park to be used for a marquee for RUBIC which supports voluntary groups, Rossendale Borough Dog Training Club put on a display and the trading standards gave pushchairs and prams a safety check.