THERE’S an attempt at a ‘world record’ taking place in Blackburn on Saturday.

If the representative of the famous Guinness book, who apparently will there to observe, approves I’m sure it will stand for a long, long time.

Not because it’s going to be difficult to beat, but because this writer, and I suspect many others, find it impossible to understand why anyone else would want to bother attempting to overturn it.

The idea is to gather the largest number of people called Carol together in one place.

Carols, Christmas… geddit?

The ‘event’ is part of Blackburn Town Centre Partnership’s programme of events to bring people into the area to spend money during the festive season.

And £2,000 has been paid out to tempt ex-Prime Minister’s daughter, and I’m a Celebrity…, winner Carol Thatcher to come to an area she has no connection with and spearhead the effort.

All of which raises one big question. WHY?

I don’t mean why Carol Thatcher and not, say Carol Vorderman, Carol Smillie or American comedienne Carol Burnett.

I mean why would anyone think such an escapade is going to attract visitors to Blackburn, particularly the many millions who are not called Carol?

The venture is no doubt well-meaning but it does bear all the hallmarks of having been dreamt up by group of “marketeers” during an intensive brain-storming session in an ultra-modern, waterfront office at the heart of an inner city regeneration zone.

It lacks any sort of link with Blackburn or the rest of East Lancashire or, to this baffled individual, even the ability to pull in large crowds.

I could of course be wrong.

The organisers may have put together with military precision an operation which involves dozens of coaches making their way all over the North West early on Saturday morning picking up women called Carol from their homes.

Or they may not!

What a stark contrast to the You Must Be Joking comedy festival in which a lot of thought and hard work went into organising more than a fortnight’s worth of gigs in the borough.

The second year of this festival has succeeded in laying the foundations of something which could be a fantastic success in years to come both in attracting visitors and enhancing the area’s reputation – as well as providing real entertainment for those of us who live here.

At first I thought the ‘Carol collection’ might actually be an early launch of the 2009 You Must Be Joking festival.

Those behind the scheme will no doubt be keen to keep it going.

Since a gathering of women called Holly will have to wait until this time next year here's a suggestion to give the men a chance to get involved in the meantime.

How about Blackburn as the setting for the world’s biggest gathering of blokes called Bill?

They could all be waving invoices.