PENDLE has been declared a Fairtrade borough.

The council has been told by the organisation which promotes better deals for producers in the world's poorest countries that it now officially a Fairtrade area.

Pendle Borough Council set up a Fair Trade Working Group and has been working towards gaining official status for a number of months.

The council has been awarded a certificate from the Fairtrade organisation after promoting the use of fair trade products in Pendle.

Coffee, chocolate, tea and other goods produced in developing countries were promoted by the council and shops and business in the borough were encouraged to use, buy and sell them wherever possible.

The Fair Trade Working Group is now set to meet to discuss ways of celebrating the achievement.