MY OLD man's a dustman... and now he's got qualifications to prove it!

Thirty East Lancashire council refuse collectors have celebrated passing an NVQ course in waste management options.

The qualification is run by Accrington and Rossendale College and Training 2000 and sees binmen take workshops including health and safety and manual handling.

Then assessors monitor them at work as they put the skills into practice.

Today council bosses praised the workers.

Coun Mohammed Khan, executive member for neighbourhoods at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "Our refuse collectors provide an exemplary service and this qualification will serve to hone their knowledge and skills even further.

"The workers actually volunteered to undertake this training, proving just how dedicated they are to serving the people of the borough."

TJ Stables, further education development co-ordinator for Accrington and Rossendale College, said: "The way that NVQs are designed is based on someone's occupation. The assessor will help the candidate to choose the best that matches what they do.

"So for example in customer services, you might do cash handling. It's the same for the cleaning ones. However, it will also help people gain a qualification that they might otherwise not have had that proves competence.

"It's genuinely useful and relevant and has been positive for people within that industry."

The courses can take up to 20 weeks to complete, and in the Ribble Valley, five refuse collectors at Clitheroe's Salthill depot are among the latest to pass.

The group Peter Dewhurst, John Shears, Peter Mercer, Peter Shears and John Knight volunteered for the course.

Mr Dewhurst, from Clitheroe, said: "It can't do us any harm and it covered a lot of useful skills."

John Bates, centre manager for Training 2000, added: "The initial trial was with five people and after that, 32 were interested in taking it.

"They had seen those five go through it and come out with a qualification and they all wanted a bit of it!"