NEW Year shoppers at Burnley Asda superstore could end up "pocketing'' a job, provided they come from the Burnley Challenge Fund area.

Bilingual staff from the Burnley Employment and training Charter will be on hand to discuss job opportunities as people pile up their trolleys.

More than 250 people have already got a job with training towards a nationally-recognised qualification through the Charter with more than 90 firms committed to supporting the scheme. Christine Cherry, Charter co-ordinator at New Era Enterprises Ltd, said: "We have a Charter counsellor resident at Burnley Jobcentre but we also want to reach those people who for one reason or another do not attend the Jobcentre but are still looking for training and/or employment.

"Many people saw us at the Pioneer store and we hope to be out and about at different venues during the year.''

The Challenge Fund area includes Bentley Wood Green, Stoneyholme and Daneshouse, Stoops, Hargher Clough, Accrington Road, Burnley town centre, Barclay Hills, Griffin and Trafalgar.

The team will be available at Asda on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, January 6, 8 and10 from 9am to 1pm and on Tuesday, January 7, and Thursday, January 9 from 1pm to 5pm.

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