A GROUP of unemployed in Bury have certainly stepped up their chances of gaining full-time employment.

For under the Government's New Deal initiative, they have just completed the building of a set of new steps. The work took place at the rear of Tesco's in Bury.

Those who carried out the step works are aged between 18 and 24 and apart from being linked to New Deal are also with the newly-formed Bury Environmental Task Force (ETF), managed by Groundwork.

The steps project was run in partnership with Bury Council's rights of way department.

Local authority public rights of way officer Mr David Chadwick said: "The authority organises numerous maintenance and improvement schemes on its public rights of way network every year. This new project in Bury has provided an opportunity to extend these works and at the same time provide experience and training for unemployed people to take to prospective employers.

"Six individual schemes have been carried out to date and all have been completed to an impressive standard."

Unemployed 18-24-year-olds who are interested in practical landscape/environmental work under New Deal can undertake a one day taster session with Groundwork Bury's ETF.