THE Royal Mail has given Waterside Millennium Green, Colne, its stamp of approval by choosing the community project as the venue to launch its new range of second-class stamps in the North West.

The stamps feature fictional children playing ring-a-roses on a millennium green as part of celebrations to mark the year 2000.

Youngsters of all ages have been involved in helping to transform a piece of unused land between Shaw Street and Colne Water into a public green featuring an open air stage and extensive landscaping. This week some of the young people involved visited the Waterside green to celebrate their success in getting their work recognised nationally.

David Rose, chairman of the Waterside Millennium Green Trust, said: "Of the millennium greens in the North West ours is one of the larger ones and one of the relatively few in the middle of an urban, relatively depressed area. In the North West it is regarded as a flagship project and it's a great boost that we were chosen to launch the new stamp."

The Waterside green is an initiative by local people, funded and supported through various agencies including Pendle Council, the county council and Groundwork East Lancashire.