HUNDREDS of Chorley kids are expected to descend on a town centre store in September for Britain's first ever bubble blowing competition.

The event, for children between six and 12, has swept the States for the past five years -- drawing in over 1.5 million competitors and more than 20 million TV viewers each year.

And now bubble gum connoisseurs Dubble Bubble have joined up with Woolworths to sponsor the competition which will take place in over 200 stores across the UK, including the Market Walk store, Chorley, on September 11.

Measurers will be on hand between 11am and 4pm on the day to try and find the child who blows the biggest bubble.

If the biggest bubble blown in Chorley comes in the top five in the country they will go forward to the national final for a pop at the £3,000 prize and £3,000 for charity.

The location for the final blow off, taking place in October, is being kept under wraps and the five contestants will have just three pieces of gum and two minutes to blow as many bubbles as they can.

Abigail Smith, 10, of Kingsmead, Chorley, says she is looking forward to the event.

Abigail, who attends Duke Street Primary School, said: "I love blowing bubbles and I'll blow the biggest one hopefully.

"If I won I'd take my mum and sister on holiday to Las Vegas."

Paul Cherrie, senior vice president for Concord confections, makers of Dubble Bubble, said: "We've run a similar competition in the US for the past five years and now we'll have it in virtually every UK city and it's great that children in the UK can now take part."