LOCAL young people on a task force training scheme with environmental group Rossendale Groundwork have been helping to improve a 22km stretch of the Rossendale Way.

And the standard of work has won praise from their supervisors, Karl Bischtschuck and Ash Davies. The aim was to improve the surface and way-marking of the walkway and cycleway which covers the borough, in the West Pennine Moors area.

Young people worked with local contractors to fit 16 new gates to replace old stiles, put in 42 new marker posts, and new surfaces in wet or boggy areas. The £54,000 contract has been carried out over 10 months. Unemployed local young people were involved as part of the Government's New Deal for Communities.