A PUPPET group from Rossendale is raising funds to take its act to the Windy City.

Reach Puppets, based at St Mary's Church, Rawtenstall, is a group for young people set up to put forward a positive Christian message using the art of puppetry.

The group, run by director Alison Aspin, is planning to take nine of its 30 young members, to I-Fest, an international festival of Christian puppetry and ventriloquism in Chicago, Illinois.

At the event they will be performing, taking part in workshops and competitions and watching other puppeteers at work.

They will be among 900 other delegates from all over the world to come together for the five-day festival.

One of the members, Jenny Broadhurst, 14, of Constablelee, has been entered into the puppeteers 'dream team,' which puts the best members from all the groups together for a one-off performance.

Steven Duffy, a Reach Puppets group leader, said: "One of the major advantages of attending this event for us is that we will be able to learn from all the other groups and individuals attending."

The group has been raising fund for the trip in July, which will cost about £1,000 per person.

Steven said: "People have made some wonderful contributions already to the fund-raising we have been doing. But we could still do with more funding. Anything we can get would be very gratefully received."

Reach Puppets, which started in 2000 with one puppet called Billy, regularly performs at a variety of venues, including churches and schools.

Later this year, the group will be performing at the celebrations to mark Colne Bible Society's 200th anniversary and at the beginning of April it will hold performances over three nights at St Mary's Church, in Rawtenstall.

If you would like to make a donation to Reach Puppet's Chicago trip fund contact Steve Duffy on 01706 228511.

For more information on the group visit www.reachpuppets.org.uk