MALCOLM Evans is the new lion king, having taken over the badge of office as new president of Bury Lions Club.

And his major event during his presidential year in office will be to undertake a "foreign" trip in this country!

Malcolm (57), of Pennington Street, Walshaw, has taken over from Mike Davis.

The father-of-three works as a driver with Heywood-based Exel Automative Management and not surprisingly he's a keen motor sport fan.

He has been a member of the Bury Parish Church choir for 27 years and as a keen singer on the amateur stage is a member of the church's pantomime group and the New Rosemere Amateur Operatic Society in Bolton.

Malcolm said: "My event in my presidential year is a 'world tour' of Britain next Easter to all the places in England, Scotland and Wales which have names one would normally associate with places overseas."

These include destinations such as California, there are five such place names in the UK, Toronto, Quebec, five Dunkirks, a Dallas, two Botany Bays and three New Yorks. And there are also three Burys in this country!

Malcolm reckons if he wants to complete such a tour of Britain, he'll have to visit 62 towns.

Fund-raising during his year in office will concentrate on collecting cash for the British Heart Foundation and the Children's Hospitals Appeal Trust.