THE rain failed to dampen Red Rose spirits as folk across the historic county of Lancashire celebrated Lancashire Day today.

A proclamation announcing that it is Lancashire Day was read out in Bolton, Carnforth, Chorley, Clitheroe, Fleetwood, Galgate, Garstang, Grange-over-Sands, Great Eccleston, Great Harwood, Lancaster, Littleborough, Nelson, Preston, Rainford, Rochdale, Shaw & Crompton, Southport, Standish, Thornton Cleveleys and Ulverston.

Click on Play below to see the proclamation in Bolton - video courtesy of our sister paper The Bolton News.

The Lancashire Day proclamation is:

To the people of the city and county of the Palatine of Lancaster. Greetings!

Know ye that this day, November 27th in the year of our Lord Two Thousand and eight, the 57th year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Duke of Lancaster, is Lancashire Day.

Know ye also, and rejoice, that by virtue of Her Majesty's County Palatine of Lancaster, the citizens of the Hundreds of Lonsdale, North and South of the Sands, Amounderness, Leyland, Blackburn, Salford and West Derby are forever entitled to style themselves Lancastrians.

Throughout the County Palatine, from the Furness Fells to the River Mersey, from the Irish Sea to the Pennines, this day shall ever mark the peoples' pleasure in that excellent distinction - true Lancastrians, proud of the Red Rose and loyal to our Sovereign Duke.

God bless Lancashire and God save the Queen, Duke of Lancaster.

Take part in our Lancashire Day quiz. - click on the link below