CHORLEY'S backing for a nationwide campaign continues to bloom.

Last autumn, Chorley Borough Council lent its support to the Cover Britain in Crocuses scheme for the medical research charity, Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

And as a result, some 1,000 crocus bulbs, representing the 1,000 women who die of breast cancer each month in the UK, were planted at Adlington Library.

The Mayor of Chorley, Coun Florence Molyneaux, who helped plant the bulbs last year, returned to the library to see the colourful blooms.

Chorley Borough Council's executive member for community services, Coun Mary Wilson, said: "Chorley has now been involved in the Breakthrough Breast Cancer campaign for several years and we were proud to be a part of it once more. "Not only do the crocus blooms provide a much-needed splash of colour at this time of year, to be enjoyed by everyone, but they also offer a vision of hope for the future that one day breast cancer will be beaten."

Chorley Borough Council is one of 200 councils across the country to support the initiative.

In the past, bulbs have been planted in memory of breast cancer victims at sites in Astley Park and on a section of ground off the main by-pass, near Chorley railway station. The council provided the bulbs.

Breakthrough Breast Cancer chief executive, Delyth Morgan, thanked Chorley for its involvement.

She said: "The support of so many councils across the country means we are able to make a wonderful, colourful statement that highlights our commitment to putting and end to a disease which affects so many people."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.