Hollyoaks stars were special guests at a family fun day in Accrington in aid of World Down Syndrome Day.

Eva Lorente, from Oswaldtwistle, who plays Minnie Blake on Hollyoaks, was joined by her on-screen mum Nikki Sanderson and five other child actors from the soap.

The event at Mount Carmel High School was attended by hundreds of people, including Hyndburn Deputy Mayor Mohammad Ayub, with many wearing ‘odd socks’ to mark the occasion.

Visitors were able to explore more than 40 stalls, enjoy an owl and birds of prey experience by Hyndburn Hooters and even have pictures taken with Oompa Loompas.

The fun day was co-organised by Caz Moreton of the Accrington Lions, who is also Eva’s great-aunt and main chaperone for when she films on Hollyoaks.

Caz said: “It went really, really well considering the weather was very cold and it was attempting to snow.

“Nikki Sanderson came along and there were five of the Hollyoaks children.

“There were also the school’s cast of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory so we had Oompa Loompas, Charlie, grandad and Veruca.

“We don’t know how much has been raised yet as the pledges are still coming in.

“We know it won’t be as much as the previous two years because those times we had sponsored beard shaves and waxing.”

Caz said the event is now in its fourth year and is getting ‘bigger and better’.

She said: “We have already had people trying to book stalls for next year.

“The first one we did was at Snuffy’s in Great Harwood and there were just six stalls. It’s just exploded since then and got bigger each year.”