Barrow’s town centre came alive with music and dancing during a day of colourful entertainment held in July 1991 to raise funds for Friends of Furness Hospitals.

Held instead of the annual carnival parade – cancelled because of a lack of help behind the scenes – large crowds turned out to enjoy displays by dancing troupes, music from the VSEL band and Country and Western dancing.

In bright sunshine the Barrow-based Wild West Rangers got the day off to a sparkling start as they transformed Dalton Road into a scene from the musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.

Led by Ronnie Newton, from Schneider Road, Barrow, the ‘Rangers’ delighted shoppers with their American-style ‘line’ dancing.

Junior fancy dress competition winners were: first, Michelle Bush, eight (Little Bo Beep); second, Candice Miller, 13 (senorita); and third Neil Williams, aged eight (cowboy).

Throughout the afternoon troupes of young dancers, dressed in a colourful array of costumes, turned on the style for the watching crowds with intricate and skilful tap-dancing routines.

As rain clouds threatened, the VSEL Barrow’s works band gave a concert near the Dalton Road gazebo at the junction with Cavendish Street to round off the day’s events.

As usual the scarlet-coated band were on top form, earning much applause for their music, particularly with their magnificent rendition of One Moment In Time, which reverberated around the town centre stores.

Watching the entertainment while sitting in regal splendour with her ladies-in-waiting in their turquoise gowns was the previous year’s Carnival Queen Tracy Johnson, who had retained her crown for a second year.

The event organiser and founder of the Friends of Furness Hospitals, Joan Granger, said the event had been staged “so that the people of Barrow, particularly children and elderly people, would not be disappointed about not having a carnival this year”.

The event was well attended and enjoyed by hundreds of people who joined the parade.