A FUNERAL service which has been part of the Darwen community since the 1800s is celebrating its 150th anniversary this weekend.

And despite major changes over the last century-and-a-half, Edwin Ainsworth Ltd has continued to remain at the heart of the town.

Owners Gregory and Patricia Dabrowski will hold a celebration service at St Peter's Church tomorrow to mark the milestone.

The Rev Geoff Tolley, the Rev Andrew Holliday and the Rev Sarah Moore will present readings and talk about the history of the service.

And nine-year-old Melissa Dabrowski, daughter of the owners, will read a 16-verse poem dedicated to Ainsworth's, in Church Bank Street.

There will also be a display of photographs and memorabilia.

Mr Dabrowksi said: "Naturally we take a certain pride in the fact our firm is 150 years old.

"But our real satisfaction comes not from the cold fact that we are now observing our 150th anniversary but from the knowledge that during these years we have been useful and helpful to the people of Darwen and vicinity.

"Merely to exist, even for a long time, is nothing. Rocks may exist for untold centuries and still be useless. Not until it is dressed and fitted into place does it start to serve, and possibly thus become a part of a home, a public building, a great cathedral.

"We have devoted our years to serving the community and we have tried sincerely to serve conscientiously and well.

"During the years to come we shall strive always to deserve the continued confidence and respect of our many friends."

Edwin Ainsworth Ltd has been based in Church Bank Street for 135 years but it was orginally in a row of cottages in Ainsworth Street, which also included stabling for 12 horses.

It was founded in 1856 by local businessman James Ainsworth and like many undertakers at the time it was much more than just a funeral service.

The business also included coachbuilders and joiners and for many years, as late as 1922, Ainsworth's also provided horse buses to Blackburn on market days.

Five horses pulled the carriage and it took 15 minutes to travel from Darwen town centre to Blackburn.

The first motor vehicle, an eight-horse-power Humber car, was bought in 1910 and converted for use as a "coffin handy", the modern day equivalent of a hearse.

Horses were finally replaced with Rolls-Royce cars in 1922 and for 40 years Ainsworth's provided an ambulance service to the former Moss Bridge Hospital until the county ambulance service took over in 1954.

The company was handed down through the Ainsworth family and became limited in 1931 when James Ainsworth's grandsons, William and Ernest decided they needed outside help.

William, who lived in Cyprus Street was the first to retire in 1937 followed by Ernest who retired in 1944 to Little Singleton.

There have since been numerous directors including Trevor Southworth who ran the business from 1960 and became director until his retirement in 2000 when the current owners took over.

During this time the taxi service stopped to concentrate more on the funeral service.

The premises have recently undergone an extensive refurbishment both inside and out to bring it up to modern standards.