A WACKY bubble car that comedian Freddie Starr once drove will join the fun at Rossendale Carnival.

Dale Winfield, owner of footwear and clothing firm Winfields, is having the little car he bought six years ago specially painted up for the procession from Stacksteads to Bacup on Sunday.

TV addicts will recognise the car because it was used by Freddie Starr in an advert for Bavarian lager seven years ago.

It was adapted with a glassfibre conning tower like a German U-boat, and Freddie used to ask: "Anybody vant to buy a booble car?"

Winfields spokesman Tony Collinge said Dale Winfield liked the look of the car and decided to buy it to use for carnivals and fetes.

One of the two Winfield's bears Ross and Dale will drive the vehicle in the carnival while the other walks next to the crowd.

There will be 18 morris troops in this year's procession along with floats from Northern Primary School, Weir, Rampton Playgroup, Deborah McClaren School of Dance and Bacup Judo Club.

Also taking part in the procession which leaves Baldwin Street at noon will be Rossendale Amateur Youth Society, Whitworth Healey Band, the Britannia Coconutters, vintage cars and a Malaysian tricycle rickshaw which was first seen last year.

The East Lancashire Street Band will lead the procession with the Mayor of Rossendale, Coun Lawrence Forshaw, in the Mayoral car.

In Bacup there will be a competition for morris dancers in the Leisure Hall and in the town centre there will be stalls, a fun fair, the bands will play on and Dora's Dangerous Donut which transforms into a hot rod will provide more unusual entertainment.

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