SUPER sunny weather added the finishing sparkle to Scanner Fun Day as shoppers packed Blackburn town centre for a charity fund-raising frenzy.

Hundreds of volunteers, some in fancy dress, a host of bands and street entertainers performed for shoppers and everyone pitched in to raise cash for the £1 million appeal to buy a scanner for East Lancashire.

Children danced to the party music of the Radio Lancashire Road Show outside the town hall and chatted to a collection of cuddly characters including Wallace and Gromit, Mr Blobby and Priscilla the SuperScan parrot.

In Victoria Court, face painters from Blackburn College were hard at work and a Punch and Judy show and juggler helped the day go with a swing.

And when Blackburn appeal chairman Terry Barber, who spearheaded the organisation of the day, bumped into the Blackburn School of Irish Dancers outside Morrisons they presented him with a cheque for £400, raised at a St Patrick's Dance in King George's Hall.

Also outside Morrisons was magician Johnny Hardy who performed magic tricks and made balloon characters for children.

Displays were given by the Body Sculpture step aerobics team, Blackburn Ju-Jitsu and Kickboxing club, the Stagestruck Theatre Company tap dancers, Blackburn Shooting Stars Majorettes and the Oswaldtwistle Clog Dancers.

A non-stop programme of music was provided by the Salvation Army Brass Band, Blackburn and Darwen Band, the Mighty Four Jazz Band, Blackburn Air Training Corps Band, banjo player John Chadwick, organ players and choirs from St Andrew's CE Junior School and Longshaw Junior School.

Pipers Derek Cartmell and Mel Moran added a Scottish touch and the day was rounded off with a sing-song outside the town hall.

Appeal chairman Mike Trickett praised the efforts of everyone involved.

He said: "It's a great credit to Terry Barber who has done a fantastic job of organising the day.

"The level of giving has been very good indeed and I don't think we could have had a better day for it."

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