SCORES of people gathered to observe an environmentally-friendly parade which danced through Blackburn town centre.

The Our Precious Planet parade saw a colourful procession, complete with dancers, stilt walkers and giant puppets, which wound their way around the town centre yesterday.

Among the items paraded included a giant green man’s head, a rhino, a giant sea monster and other ocean inhabitants.

There were steel drums, saxophones alongside string instruments to make sure the hustle and bustle of the parade kept its pace all the way round the route.

The costumes and puppets were made out of recyclable material in a bid to highlight pollution which goes into the world’s oceans on a regular basis.

Among the puppets included the green man, who was an ancient British being who represented the spirit of the woods, protecting plants, trees and all wild things, according to legend.

Those involved gathered at the bus station in Ainsworth Street before marching behind the back of the Mall onto Exchange Street, turning left onto King William Street and coming down towards Lord Street West, Higher Church Street and onto Darwen Street.

The parade finished at Blackburn Cathedral were it joined up with street performers and traders at the Cathedral Quarter.

An end of parade performance also took place at the Cathedral Quarter.

The event was organised by those behind the popular Festival of Light parade, the creative minds at the Bureau Centre for the Arts.

Several workshops were devised to make the costumes and dance routines, which also taught those participating about the importance of recycling, how trees help restore oxygen to the atmosphere and looking after our planet.

The parade was supported by Blackburn with Darwen Council, Blackburn BID, The People’s Projects initiative and Blackburn Hive.