AN engineering guru from Canada has visited East Lancashire as part of a worldwide tour looking at manufacturing around the globe.

Jack Firth from the South Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) visited Northern Technologies' new Advanced Manufacturing Centre in Burnley to look at how young engineers are being developed.

An impressed Mr Firth said: "This centre is a refreshing change from a process that has globally remained unchanged for far too long.

"Northern Technologies should be commended for the work and direction that they are moving into, they really are world class."

The Advanced Manufacturing Centre includes a huge working showcase of the latest manufacturing technology and a team of specialist staff providing technical expertise.

Mr Firth will visit countries including New Zealand, Australia and America.

It is part of a quest to find ideas and innovations to take back to Alberta and help to solve the skills gap of over 300,000 engineers, which they need for oil exploration development.

Northern Technologies' business development director Steve Wilkinson said: "This visit is another example of how our work is spreading its influence over a ever-wider sphere."

Mr Firth also viewed a number of other organisations and establishments including Regal Precision Engineers, Colne and PDS, who are based in Nelson.