A CELEBRATION of 200 years of the Leeds and Liverpool canal will headline a weekend of family events across East Lancashire.

A free family fun afternoon will be held by the Canal and River Trust today to launch a new activity hub in Blackburn.

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The event, from 3pm to 8pm, will include boat trips, canoe and angling taster sessions, guided walks and bikes rides at Eanam Wharf.

The launch will coincide with the Blackburn Canal Festival.

One of the many attractions in the weekend will be a flotilla of giant paper swans where eight brightly painted origami birds will lead the pack in the event at 2.45pm on Saturday and Sunday.

The groups involved in folding and painting two-metre square pieces of paper to make the giant swans were Blackburn Youth Zone, Blackburn Creative Support and Witton Park Academy.

Graham Vernon, the canal festival chairman, said: “My personal vision for the festival has been far surpassed this year.

“We are very privileged and proud to be part of the 200-year celebrations on a site which created Blackburn and the surrounding towns.”

Television celebrity David Dickinson is bringing his Dickinson’s Real Deal show to Blackburn on Saturday afternoon to film its 1,000th show.

People can take items for valuation at the King George’s Hall, admission is free.

Botany Bay in Chorley is hosting a food and drink festival on both days, from 9.30am to 5.30pm.

On Sunday, it will host the Go Bananas Food Fest Party, a food-themed music and games event with CBeebies Katy Ashworth of I Can Cook and children’s musician Mr Yipadee.

The Alice in Barlickland Gala Fundraising Street Fair takes places with stalls and music in Barnoldswick town square from 4pm to 8pm on Saturday and the annual Earby Gala is on the same day from noon.

A new Mega Value fun park is being held in Blackburn to kick start the school holidays. It will and the Mega Value Fun Park will run until Sunday, July 31 at Witton Country Park.