TWO Emmerdale stars are among the main attractions at this year's Horwich Carnival.

Organisers say that the bumper event, which runs across Friday, Saturday and Sunday this weekend, will be bigger and better than before.

Soap star Anthony Quinlan, who currently plays Pete Barton in Emmerdale and previously starred in Hollyoaks, will be joined by fellow Emmerdale resident Laura Norton, who plays Kerry Wyatt in the show.

Visitors can meet the two stars, and can get their autographs after buying the official programme.

The carnival will this year run as a standalone event, having previously been held alongside the Festival of Racing.

The fun will start on Friday at Horwich Conservative Club with the Voice of Horwich singing competition.

Would be pop stars are invited to sing to be in with a chance of a cash prize, with singers having to register by 7pm, and the competition starting from 7.30pm.

Events on Saturday will include a bonnie baby competition from 10am, a dog show from noon, a day wear competition for fashionable youngsters, the crowing of carnival royalty at 3pm, as well as stalls, refreshments and fairground rides.

The main parade will start in Ramsbottom Road at noon on Sunday, before moving onto Church Street, to Lee Lane and then turning looping back round on Chorley New Road.

This year's carnival queen will be Jade Emerald Green, who has attended several fundraising events over the past year representing Horwich.

Other attractions on Sunday include a fancy dress competition at 2pm, a brass band, pipe bands, African drummers and a tug of war contest.

The carnival will raise funds for good causes, including Horwich Visiting Service, which provides a befriending services for adults in the town, armed forces charity SSAFA, and Horwich Widows Club, which supports people who have lost their partner.

It is the third year that the carnival has been run by Diane Woodruff and Andrea Allot, who have worked hard to organise the jam packed weekend.

Diane said: "We took over three years ago and we have built it up. We are just trying to get it back to what it used to be.

"We want everybody to come, not just people in Horwich, the more people the better to make the carnival as good as possible."

For more information about the singing competition, call 07860 200708.