A LANCASHIRE beauty therapist is jetting off to Japan to reveal the mysteries of East Lancashire.

Yvonne Haddock, 50, who has run A Beautiful Figure, Blackburn Road, Accrington, for 13 years, is due to spend three months in the Orient, teaching everything from body art to eyelash perming.

She currently teaches students from Blackburn College and local beauty salons but the interest from Japan was sparked by Yvonne's web site which features unusual contact lenses.

Yvonne, who began in hairdressing at 13 years of age, trained at Preston College as a teacher.

She said: "Out of the blue I received an e-mail from Japan from a Toshi Fujii who said he was interested in selling the lenses in Japan.

"Things have progressed from there and Toshi came to see me in July this year.

"He has now invited me to go to Japan to demonstrate various techniques for using the equipment featured on the web site.

"It's very exciting and I'm really looking forward to it. I've always been fascinated by Japan so to get the chance to see it at first hand and work there too is amazing."

Yvonne, who has previously taught in Sweden and Ireland, will travel in the New Year and stay with Toshi, his wife and children in their home in Kobe.