CARNIVALS have always been a tradition enjoyed in Bolton and surrounding towns and villages.

Horwich Carnival has been a part of life for local folk for many years but we are hoping Looking Back readers will be able to explain its origins to us as we are a little unsure.

We do know that it provides a great day out for Horwich residents as well as families from all over the Bolton area.

It has been a popular event in the social calendar since at least the 1950s as the photographs brought in by reader Cynthia Pearcy.

Cynthia, aged 67, who has lived in Horwich all her life, found the photographs in an album belonging to her parents, Frank and Eveline Hearsey.

Her parents lived in Horwich and had put the photographs in a well labelled album which indicated they were taken at the Horwich Carnival during the "Festival Year" of 1951.

But that is all Cynthia knows about the photographs.

"I think my dad would have taken them but I don't know anything else. I would be about three at the time so I, obviously, don't remember anything about it and as there don't seem to be any children on the pictures then I don't think I was on them," she says.

Cynthia hopes the images will mean something to someone in Horwich and perhaps someone else will remember this special event.

The Festival of Britain was a national exhibition held throughout the United Kingdom in the summer of 1951.

It was organised by the government to give the British a feeling of recovery after the horrors of World War Two.

While the main events were held in London there were also special events held throughout the UK and obviously Horwich wanted to join in the celebrations through the Horwich Carnival which was dedicated to the Festival.

But in what way? We are hopeful readers will know and be able to shed some light on this.

Did you take part in the carnival parade or do you know anything about it? Do you have photographs taken at the time?

If so we would love to hear from you.

Contact Gayle McBain on 01204 537269 or email gayle.mcbain@nqnw.co.uk