HUNDREDS of Greens descended on Lancaster for the party's North West conference.

The event - the second to be staged in the city - marked Lancaster's Cllr John Whitelegg's maiden speach as leader of the Greens North West.

The four-day conference also marked the party's 30th birthday and attracted more than 500 delegates to St Martin's College.

Issues on the agenda included air traffic congestion charges and plans for a national railcard to encourage people out of their cars.

Members also hit out at David Blunkett's ID card proposal and held emergency talks about the war on Iraq and GM crops.

London mayor Ken Livingstone was expected to be a guest speaker but had to cancel because of other commitments.