A FORMER Blackburn man is going East to teach in China.

Albert Eastham, 60, is heading for Gansu Province in the centre of the country, where he will teach public and business administration.

He arranged the post through the British Executive Service Overseas organisation, which arranges volunteer trips abroad for retired executives or those with time on their hands. It is his second trip to Gansu in a year. He said: "The Chinese Government have told me they liked my lectures so I am going back."

Mr Eastham, who lives in Oxford with his wife, Tricia, was brought up in Addington Street, Higher Audley, Blackburn, and attended St Thomas' School and Church.

He went on to Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School and later taught there.

In recent years he has worked in countries including Pakistan, Vietnam, Estonia, Ethiopia, Guyana and Zimbabwe.

Before he leaves for China he is planning to fulfil a lifetime ambition - to climb Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn in Switzerland.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.