A FESTIVAL of colour has taken over Westhoughton today as the yarn bombers return.

For the fourth year in a row a group of committed knitters have covered Westhoughton with the woollen fruits of their labours for the Yarn Bombing Festival.

What began as a replacement for the Westhoughton Carnival has developed into a crafty and quirky weekend which brings a “buzz” to the area.

Yarn bombing-regular Debbie Sixsmith said: “People seem to be enjoying it and someone said the atmosphere in Market Street was “buzzing”.

“A lot of people have seen it before so there isn’t quite as much bemusement as the first year.”

Former MP Julie Hilling declared the Yarn Bombing Festival open this year. She said: “Market Street is beautifully decorated and there’s been massive support from the whole community.

“It’s brilliant, they're bringing the community together and doing something different. All our waste bins and bollards are covered in knitted goods people have been knitting for the last couple of years.”

Mrs Hilling said she was particularly taken with Ditchfield Gardens this year, which is on the corner of Market Street and Wigan Street.

The decorations will remain up until Sunday evening when the yarn bombers will store their knitted goodies away for next year.

Ms Sixsmith said: “There are people who have been knitting madly making lots of displays. Most of the bollards are now covered.

"We started yesterday evening, then most of them went up this morning but pompoms and things fall off which need repairing.

"The first three years were just the event but this year we are fundraising for the Westhoughton Lions Rugby Club.

"Today all the lions team have brought down children dressed in their kits to carry round buckets in Market Street."

Chew Moor-based acoustic band Travelling Strings and the Westhoughton Community Singers entertained shoppers today as part of the festival.