A FORMER Burnley detective is looking forward to coming home to some good old-fashioned Lancashire cooking after 16 years working in Hong Kong.

Ray Goldsack initially went to the Far East to join an independent commission to fight corruption after seven years as a detective sergeant in Burnley, five in Bacup and two with the regional crime squad in Blackburn.

Three years after leaving the UK, he officially left Lancashire Constabulary and took up a contract with the Hong Kong government to investigate corruption, seek out offenders and organise their extradition.

Ray's contract expires next December and together with his wife Elaine, who is a travel agent in Hong Kong, they are planning to return to East Lancashire. His job has taken him all over the world and involved him in multi-million pound investigations. The one he is currently probing started in 1987 and involves a £50 million fraud. While staying in Burnley he will be travelling to London to try and secure the extradition of a man.

Ray, 58, said: "I dealt with the collapse of BCCI and cases which have taken me to the five continents to investigate.

"In the Far East corruption is a way of life. It is a part of the culture and people don't react like they would in this country - it is almost accepted.

"Fifteen years on, corruption is not as blatant now as it used to be but we will never be able to eradicate it."

The couple have six grandchildren and a home in Spain but will definitely return to live in East Lancashire sometime later this year.

Ray said: "I miss friends and family and the friendliness of the people of Lancashire because people don't mix the same over there. They are always too busy and their main concern is making money - and I miss Lancashire cooking. "A Harry Ramsden's chip shop has opened there but it costs £10 for fish and chips. There is also an Irish bar but it costs £7 for a pint of Guinness."

Hong Kong will be ruled by the Chinese from June 30, 1997 and Ray and Elaine hope to be settled in their new home by then. He will be pursuing his hobby of compiling crosswords and hopes to have more published in Britain.

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