THE Friends of Real Lancashire are encouraging people in the old -- i.e. 'real' county areas -- to start using the name Lancashire in their postal addresses, rather than the administrative names such as Greater Manchester, Cumbria and Merseyside.

The Royal Mail accepts that there is no need to use such administrative names as these and that the word Lancashire can be used in their place after the post town and post code.

So, people in St Helens or Prescot or Newton-le-Willows can all put Lancashire as their address. As can those in Liverpool, Huyton, Kirkby etc.

No matter which area of real Lancashire you live in you can now include Lancashire in your address with the full agreement of the Post Office.

Go on, start using it.

Terry Wynn, MEP.