A LITERARY and music festival is being held on September 22 and 23 at Turton Tower in a bid to save the historic house from closure.

Friends of Turton Tower have organised the festival, called Cornucopia, to highlight the importance of the 15th century tower and are backed by top writers and musicians who will perform for free.

Lancashire County Council announced in February 2006 that vital funding for Turton Tower would end in April 2008.

After 18 months of campaigning to save the Grade One-listed building, a three-way funding partnership is on the cards between Lancashire county, Blackburn with Darwen borough and North Turton parish councils but until it is finalised the friends say the battle to save the tower continues.

Norman Parry, Poet In Residence at The Lowry Centre, Salford, is throwing his full support behind the campaign and will appear at the festival.

He said: "The tower is an important local monument and I am delighted to be able to help.

"The festival promises to be a fun weekend with something to satisfy everyone's tastes."

Other acts include poetry performance group Write Out Loud, singer-songwriter Nick Jackson, founder of The Buskers Ball which supports live music, Alec Martin and musician Darren Poyzer.

Entry is free and visitors can enjoy spoken word performances, poetry and literature readings, children's activities, workshops and craft stalls.

Maintenance, staffing and upkeep of the former family home, built around 1420, is financed mainly through a £69,000 grant from the county council's adult and community services budget.

Supporters of the building have feared for its future and North Turton Parish Council and The Friends of Turton Tower have campaigned to save it.

Membership of the friends group has more than doubled to more than 300 since the funding cuts were announced.

Cornucopia will be held on September 22 and 23 from noon to 5pm on both days.