A GOVERNMENT minister showed all her spinning skills when she visited Morecambe last week - but it was all to celebrate the achievements of a local group.

Baroness Tessa Blackstone, tried her hand in the DJ booth when she visited the newly refurbished Hothouse, home of More Music in Morecambe.

Baroness Blackstone also heard the music of Westgate Primary School's Samba band as she performed the official re-opening of the Devonshire Road facility.

She said: "More Music in Morecambe is providing an enormously varied and exciting range of performances and activities both in terms of giving opportunities to people who would otherwise not have the chance to participate and pushing the boundaries of music making.

"MMM is just the kind of project that the Government likes to see and support through funding organisations like Youth Music.

It is only by supporting such schemes that we can demonstrate to other organisations what can be achieved."

The organisation began life in 1993 as a one-man band, run by Pete Moser with the aim of bringing music to the hard hit town.

It has now grown into an independent arts company with a reputation so strong nationally that it has been asked to manage the Youth Music Action Zone for Lancashire.

Lancaster City Council leader, Cllr Tricia Heath, said: "It is really brilliant to see More Music in Morecambe growing.

"They are well thought of not just in this district but throughout Lancashire."