YOUNG folk from Bury brushed up on their handwriting skills in true oriental style.

Participants in the Bury and Rochdale Active Generation (BRAG) project visited Manchester's Chinatown for a class in Chinese calligraphy staged by the Passport 2K Commonwealth Games programme.

The scheme was set up to leave a lasting games legacy for young people by broadening interests and cultural horizons.

Those taking part in the sessions, for 15 to 16-year-olds, were asked to write "Happy Birthday" in Chinese characters, as well as their own names.

They went on to try their hand at martial arts, be given a tour of Chinatown and have lunch in an authentic Chinese restaurant.

BRAG co-ordinator Laura Darwen said: "It was a great day and very interesting for everyone involved.

"A lot of them had never been to Chinatown before and one or two had never tried Chinese food, so it was something very different for them."