A PRIMARY school teacher has been picked to work with environmental scientists on a major research project in Hungary.

Paul Heaton, a teacher at St Peter's RC School, Newchurch, Rossendale, will spend part of this summer holiday carrying out research with the charity Earthwatch after winning an environmental award from company 3M.

The company has a base in Clitheroe, manufacturing aerosol valves and components for the pharmaceutical industry.

Paul will join scientists on the Old World Songbirds Project to research the migrating bird population at a wetland reserve near the Danube.

He said: "This is the chance of a lifetime, to sit by the Danube and watch birds go by - 135 species to be precise - if I'm lucky.

"I'm sure that my project experience will enable me to provide more interest and impetus to the school's new environment club and my role as an educator."

Site manager at Clitheroe Nick Green said: "3M has been supporting Earthwatch for six years now and we are delighted that this imaginative project continues to deliver long-term benefits for local schools and the community by helping bring real-life science and environmental research back into the classroom."

The Earthwatch Fellowship Programme has sent more than 1,000 teachers and conservationists on overseas projects since 1993, of which 120 have been funded by 3M.

Executive director of Earthwatch Dr Robert Barrington said: "This is a great opportunity for teachers and conservationists to work alongside some of the leading experts in their field and learn something new. We offer them a chance to freshen up their teaching skills and help the environment in one go."

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