A TEENAGER is swopping East Lancashire for the Far East for a month after raising almost £3,000.

Laura Jackson will join around 30 other young people on a trip to China.

Laura, of Dotcliffe Road, Kelbrook, a member of the Yorkshire Schools' Exploring Society, is studying A-levels at Skipton Girls' High School.

As well as raising money with a sponsored swim and eating her food for a week using chopsticks, Laura was sponsored by local firms, her school's PTA, Colne Noyna Rotary Club and Colne Lions.

She leaves on Saturday for an expedition mainly in the mountainous Qing-Hai region and will also visit Beijing.

"I'm looking forward to the expedition," said Laura. "I'm very grateful to everyone who has supported me to make this possible."

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