JIGSAW puzzle enthusiasts are preparing to descend on Ramsbottom once again for the town’s annual jigsaw festival.

The festival, which runs from Wednesday, September 5 to Saturday, September 8, is a joint venture between Edenfield Parish Church and St Paul’s Church, Ramsbottom, and features the jigsaw making work of local people from a wide range of ages and abilities.

Now in its fifth year, the festival will treat visitors to the spectacle of a huge patchwork of more than 1,000 puzzles, laid out across the interior of St Paul’s Church on Bridge Street in the centre of the town.

The puzzles have been assembled over the last 12 months and are available for visitors to buy, break up and take away to make up for themselves.

As each puzzle is sold, another one takes its place so the displays will continue to change throughout the festival.

The event is sponsored by major UK jigsaw manufacturer Gibsons, and will be opened on Tuesday evening by the Mayor of Bury, Cllr Jane Black, and the Mayor of Rossendale, Cllr Anne Kenyon, as part of a preview evening to which contributors have been invited.

The recently appointed Archdeacon of Bolton, the Reverend Jean Burgess will also be in attendance.

One of Edenfield’s Churchwardens David Foster said “Besides being a successful fund-raising event for the two churches, the Jigsaw Festival has become a real community project. Over the past year many people all over the Ramsbottom, Edenfield and Bury areas, and in some cases beyond, have spent several hours putting jigsaw puzzles together for this event, and we would like to thank them for their efforts. A warm welcome is extended to visit St Paul’s Church to see the fruits of their labours.”

The festival will be open from 10.00am to 5.00pm each day between Wednesday and Saturday. It will also be open from 6.30pm to 8.30pm on Thursday. Refreshments will be available throughout the festival.

Admission to the event is £2.00 and the entrance programme will entitle the holder to readmission free of charge during the four days. Accompanied children will be admitted free of charge.

The organisers are still looking for volunteers to help staff put the final pieces in place for the event. A number of roles are available, such as sales desk staff, door stewards, exhibition stewards and raffle ticket sellers.

For more information contact David Foster on 01706 825648 or email rammyjigsaw@aol.com.