CHEMISTRY lessons will come to life when some of the county's major employers will give practical demonstrations of their work to schoolchildren.

The experiments will give students the chance to have a go at real-life chemistry and find out how science is used in pathology, brewing, dyeing, nuclear fuel construction and the aerospace industry.

Lancashire Fire Service, British Nuclear Fuels Limited, BAE Systems and Burnley Healthcare Diabetic Unit are among the companies taking part.

Julian Sims, science adviser to the education authority, said: "This exciting event will bring classroom science to life, showing students real uses for the scientific knowledge they have acquired in school.

"Our main focus is on 15 and 16 year olds, but we have also invited a number of primary schools to help challenge their most able pupils."

Lancashire County Council and East Lancashire Education Business Partnerships have organised the events, sponsored by the Royal Society of Chemistry and ELTEC.

Children from 20 Lancashire schools will attend sessions at Clayton Park Conference and Learning Centre, Clayton-le-Moors, in April.

Burnley schools taking part include Walshaw High, Barden County High, St Hilda's, Towneley High, St Mary's, and Habergham High.

Other schools include All Saints Primary, Chorley; Accrington and Rossendale College; The Hollins, Accrington; West Craven High, Barnoldswick; Gawthorpe High, Padiham; Barnoldswick CE Primary; Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Blackburn; Edge End High, Nelson; and Haslingden High.