A BLACKBURN park hosted a major family event for the first time since the row over the cancellation of Arts in The Park and the Mela.

And organisers of Corporation Park’s Spring in the Park said: “It is what the people want”.

The event yesterday was organised by the Corporation Park Supporters Group and funded by the North West Blackburn Neighbourhood Board.

It featured games, bouncy castles, face painting, interactive games, horse rides, raffles and soccer shoot-outs.

Last year Arts in the Park and the Mela, both park-based events, were controversially cancelled in favour of a month-long Celebrate Blackburn event in the town centre.

But, despite calls for their return, the council is set to again reject them in favour of town centre activities.

Corporation Park Supporters Group secretary Martha Henry said: “It’s great to have an event like this in a Blackburn park. It’s what the people want and they showed that by asking for it at the neighbourhood board.

“This event is much smaller than Arts in the Park, but because of this, we can be much more local rather than having people from out of town being headline acts.”

Chairman of the the group, Mike Chamberlin, said: “The neighbourhood boards are an excellent way of making money available for projects people really want.

“Ordinary people are getting what they want.”

Leela Riley, 31, from Blackburn, was at Spring In The Park with her friends and children.

She said: “They should do more in the parks. It’s a shame.

“I used to go to Arts in the Park every year but didn’t bother with Celebrate Blackburn. I wasn’t really aware of what was happening with that.”

Liz Birtwistle from Whalley took her children to yesterday’s event and said: “It’s great.

“There’s so much to do even though it is raining.”