FAMILIES turned out in their hundreds over the weekend as the annual Horwich Carnival came to town.

The event, one of the biggest in the town's calendar, made a stunning return to the streets bathed in glorious sunshine.

The main attraction of the two-day festival was the parade on Sunday with the floats making a return to the street.

From midday, performers and groups gathered at Ramsbottom Road and went through Lee Lane and Chorley New Road before finishing in Station Park.

People gathered on the streets to watch the parade pass by, headed by the Rivington and Adlington Brass Band and the carnival queens, and among the crowd was the town mayor Cllr Peter Wright, who watched from just outside the Conservative Club.

Brian Turnbull, aged 66, came out of his home at Purlbrook Cottages, just off Church Street, to watch the parade and was impressed by the display.

He said: "It was really good. I am really pleased to see that the floats are back this year and that they seem to have sorted out the health and safety with them.

"It has been excellent and the amazing weather has come as a surprise for us. Everyone has obviously put a lot of effort in so we have to give a lot of credit to them.

"It has been the best carnival we've had in a long time and I am so happy the floats are back."

The carnival in Old Station Park kicked off on Saturday morning with the baby show at 10.30am and finishes on the Sunday with music from Wigan folk bank Chonkinfeckle.

As well as the fairground rides, there was also a celebrity appearance in the form of actor Jacob Roberts, who plays Damon Kinsella in Hollyoaks.

Before the event, Andrea Allott, vice-chairman of the Horwich Carnival committee, said it was all about community spirit but also about raising money for the chosen charity Bolton Neonatal Unit.

She said: "The carnival has dwindled in recent years but now we have a lot of community groups getting involved. The Neonatal Unit is a cause close to home as I have lost three children."

For more information on the preparations for next year's event, go to the Horwich Carnival Facebook page.