THE Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen said she received royal treatment at the hands of the King of Jordan on a trip to her homeland.

King Abdullah offered to meet Councillor Karimeh Foster in Jordan after he had to decline her invitation to come to East Lancashire because it was too short notice.

Coun Foster had already planned to travel to Jordan this month when the King said he would open his Royal Palace doors to the Mayor and her family.

She said the trip had been ‘wonderful’ and that she hoped her discussions with Jordanian politicians and business leaders would help forge links with the Middle East.

Accompanied by her husband Coun David Foster and their two daughters, she arrived in Jordan on New Year’s Day.

The 10-day programme, which had been specially prepared for Coun Foster, included a social reception and a visit to the Royal Palace.

She said: “I went to King Abdullah’s Palace. He received us there and gave us a signed photograph as a gift, and I also gave King Abdullah a gift.

“One of the officers at Blackburn with Darwen, Billy Almond, is a talented painter and he had painted a picture of Darwen Tower, so I took it to him with the coat of arms.

“I met lots of people, talking to them about Blackburn with Darwen and the possibility of creating links in business and education.

“I’m hoping the trip will help links with businesses here, with manufacturing on both sides, and increase employment.

“Also, I hope it will help links with Blackburn College. There was some interest in a student exchange programme and I will be speaking to Ian Clinton about that.”

Coun Foster, a Christian Palestinian, was born in Bethlehem, but moved to Jordan before the Six-Day War in 1967.

In her 20s she spent eight years in the Jordanian military as a second lieutenant, then was sent to a college in Kingston-upon-Thames to study.

It was there she met her husband, a native of Darwen.

She said she would love King Abdullah to visit Blackburn with Darwen to see first hand the fine work being done in the borough.

“The King expressed an interest in forging links with Blackburn with Darwen,” she said.

“I invited him to come and he said he hoped he could arrange something.

“He was really sincere and mentioned to one of his officers that he would like to come when he visits London.”