THE Red Rose County is being promoted across the country this month in a bid to attract more home-grown tourism.

Lancashire County Council is once again taking its award-winning tourism exhibitions to the annual holiday and travel shows at Manchester's GMEX exhibition centre, as well as to events in Glasgow and Belfast Holiday World, in partnership with Lancashire's Hill Country and local authorities including Pendle Borough Council and Ribble Valley Borough Council.

A wide range of literature will be distributed at each venue and tourism officers will also promote Lancashire as an ideal place to stay during the Commonwealth Games to be held in Manchester this summer, as well as a short break or a longer holiday.

County Coun Brian Johnson, cabinet member for community and regeneration, said people planning to visit the Commonwealth Games would find Lancashire an ideal location to stay.

He said: "We are only a short drive or train ride away from Manchester and offer a fantastic range of tourist attractions and resorts to explore on days off."