Seventeen-year-old Nasreen Sheikh enjoyed getting close to the chocolate fountain on her aunt's stall when Blackburn Market staged a speciality food and handmade crafts event on Saturday.

In the first of five speciality markets this year, 10 extra stalls sold handmade scarves, pottery and greetings cards, while cookery demonstrations were held using produce from regular market stalls.

Children enjoyed music and face-painting, and assistant markets manager Peter Little said he hoped the special markets would continue to attract new customers.