RESIDENTS will celebrate the 50th anniversary of their town's "heart".

Community leaders have spent 18 months preparing events to mark the golden jubilee of the school, village hall and St Cuthbert's Church, in Colburn.

Mayor Helen Grant, chairwoman of the Colburn Celebration Project, said: "These buildings put the heart into Colburn.

"Before, the town was just a small hamlet with a few houses at what is now the top of Colburn Lane. What incredible changes have taken place in Colburn over those 50 years.

"We are very proud of our community and look forward to another 50 years of growth, prosperity and change."

The celebrations will start next Friday with a junior disco in the village hall to select Miss and Master Colburn.

The winners will perform a number of duties, including switching on the Christmas lights and judging the Christmas lights competition.

Jubilee day, which will be opened by MP William Hague, will be held at Colburn Primary School, on Saturday, June 23.

At 10.30am, a fancy dress procession will leave Broadway to the school to the beat of drums by young people from the youth cafe.

Throughout the day, there will be music, stalls, a raffle, car boot sale, climbing wall and other attractions.

The mayor will be placed in the stocks to raise money for charity.

Colburn and District Gardening Club will hold its rose show in Colburn church hall, on Saturday, June 23, from 1.30pm to 3.30pm. Entries must be in by noon. Children are being encouraged to enter a garden on a plate competition.

In the evening, a sports quiz for adults will take place at the leisure centre, along with a children's disco.

Commemorative mugs and plates depicting the school, churches and village hall have been produced.

Later in the year, a community walk of the ward boundary will take place, along with church services, amateur dramatic productions and a grand final party.

Old photographs, newspaper cuttings and anecdotal tales have been collected for a book on the town's history.

For more information, or to contribute material for the book, call 01748-832894.