BURY'S Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme has suddenly begun to attract global attention.

Delegates from Asia, Africa and Europe found themselves mingling with local people at a regional conference.

For some years Carolyn Taylor, from Bury Council's lifelong learning team, has run an annual residential training weekend for new and potential leaders.

The course has gained such a reputation that it came to the attention of the Duke of Edinburgh scheme's worldwide counterpart, the International Award, who asked if space could be found for some of their members.

When Carolyn and her team staged their usual event at Carnforth's Borwick Hall, they found that their 23 delegates from the North West were joined by colleagues from Japan, Ghana, Finland, Rumania, Hungary and Slovenia. She said: "There are not many courses like ours anywhere in the country and every year we attract a significant number of people.

"The weekend went really well and a lot of fun was had. There were, understandably, some language difficulties but nothing that prevented the participants getting as much as possible from the course."

Councillor Steve Treadgold, the council's youth spokesman, added: "It is nice to know that the expertise and experience we have accumulated in Bury is now recognised not only regionally but internationally."