FOUR students from East Lancashire are looking forward to meeting the Pope on a trip of a lifetime.

They will be taking part in the world's biggest Catholic youth event, World Youth Day, in Toronto, Canada.

Two million young people from 135 countries are expected at the event next month.

Damian Moxham, of Midfield, Langho, Claire Fletcher, of Arnside Crescent, Blackburn, Sarah Jackson, of Fecitt Brow, Blackburn, and Richard Wells, from Dunsop Bridge, Bowland, have been busy since Christmas planning the trip which has been organised by the Salford Diocese Youth Commission.

The 40-strong diocesan group will be led by Bob Beardsworth, diocesan youth officer, who is based at Mount Carmel High School, Accrington.

The group will stay with Canadian families for the first part of the two-weeks trip.

In the second week they will gather in Toronto with young people from every continent. A range of international activities will lead up to the highlight of the trip, the World Youth Day celebrations on July 28 led by Pope John Paul II.

Bob, who has led groups to events in the Philippines, Paris and Rome said: "The ailing Pope has always had a special relationship with young people, whom he loves dearly, and this may be his last World Youth event because the next is in 2005."

The Pope will address the two million young people at a special outdoor night-time vigil. The students will then sleep out in the open, ready for the Pope's return the following morning for the highlight of the celebrations, the Papal Mass.