This week, with SANDRA BLAYDEN, director of the Samaritans for Blackburn, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley

SANDRA Blayden, Samaritans' branch director for the next three years, was planning to make her favourite journey in Lancashire today -- en route to Longridge where her daughter and three granddaughters live.

Sandra's daughter Andrea is celebrating her birthday today and Sandra will be making the 30-mile round trip bearing gifts for Andrea and Easter eggs for the youngsters.

Her journey will take her from her Blackburn home along the A59, when she will drop down into Ribchester and pass the Stone Bridge restaurant before arriving in Longridge for the family celebration.

"If I was going to choose to live somewhere it would probably be around the Ribble Valley or Chipping, that sort of area," she said.

En route she will delight in the daffodils lining the roadsides and watch the lambs gambolling in the fields -- a far cry from this time last year when the foot and mouth outbreak devastated the countryside and led many landowners to turn to the Samaritans for support.

Sandra said many people enjoy walking in and around Ribchester and she said the food at the Stone Bridge was "super".