A POPULAR carnival which attracts more than 4,000 visitors every year could be scrapped in favour of four separate community events.

Rossendale Carnival takes place in Bacup and is funded solely by Rossendale Council at a cost of £7,000.

But the authority, recently voted the worst in England, is now looking at ways to save money and provide 'Best Value'.

Five leisure facilities in the borough, including Haslingden's Public Hall, Bacup's AB and D Centre, Rossendale Museum, the Astoria Ballroom and Whitworth Baths are currently facing the chop.

And members of the leisure services committee are considering alternative venues for Rossendale carnival.

Some residents have complained it does not fully serve the borough as a whole because it is held in Bacup.

The council are now looking at either rotating the event to different locations each year or providing smaller events which cover more areas within the district.

They are proposing, as one alternative to the carnival, smaller free music events to take place in parks across the district including Whitaker Park, Rawtenstall, Stubby Lee Park, Bacup and Victoria Park, Haslingden.

Administration officer Elaine Newsome said: "We have received funding from other organisations to help the council pay for the carnival.

"We are going to be looking at ways which will best serve the whole community at the meeting tonight by providing alternative locations for the event."

Plans are currently being set out for three separate events.

A concert promoting local brass bands and traditional music, local pop/rock bands with contemporary styles of music and a concert promoting world music with a multicultural emphasis are all being considered.

The annual carnival is traditionally held towards the end of June and is a massive get-together for local residents.

A procession usually leaves Stacksteads and makes its way to Bacup town centre, which is packed with amusements, a fairground, stalls and street entertainers.

The carnival's future is to be decided at a meeting of Rossendale Leisure committee tonight.