TWO young people from the Burnley area enjoyed an audience with the Pope -- along with two million others!

James Farry of Victoria Street, Todmorden, and Alexandra Palmoski, of Winewall, Colne, have just returned from World Youth Day in Toronto, Canada.

The trip to the Catholic Church's biggest youth event in July was organised through the Salford Roman Catholic Diocese.

The group met up with two million young people from 130 nations in Toronto to share in a programme of discussion and spiritual activity.

Pope John Paul met with the crowd for two open air events at which young people slept in the open air.

James, 19, a physics student at Leeds University, said: "There were two million people all in one place. It was amazing. I have never seen so many people before in my life.

"We knew the Pope was going to speak but when you actually saw the guy it was unreal. Every single person was cheering him, he had the crowd in the palm of his hand."

But as the crowds slept in the open in their sleeping bags the heavens literally opened.

James, who attends St Joseph's RC Church in Todmorden, said: "It really chucked it down. All of us were just in sleeping bags with no tents but we stayed out anyway."

Bob Beardsworth, youth officer for the Salford Roman Catholic Diocese and organiser of the trip, said: "The deluge absolutely swamped the place but when the Pope arrived it stopped and the sun came out -- you can make of that what you want!"

The 42-strong group also spent four days learning about the culture of Canada whilst staying with families in Windsor, Ontario where there was a programme of spiritual and cultural activities for the visitors.

And they took part in special celebratory mass led by the local Vietnamese community that gave a glimpse of Eastern culture.