BOROUGH mayor Marie Lewis was among the VIP party from Cheshire who made the long trip north to Scotland to see Cheshire Army Cadets in action at their annual camp.

Cllr Lewis saw the youngsters, aged 13 to 18 and of both sexes, learning to ski and rock climb on first-rate facilities used to train Royal Marines commandos.

Some of the most popular activities during the two-week camp at Barry Buddon, near Dundee, included canoeing and sailing on a large lake.

Teenage non-commissioned officers led younger cadets on Army-style manoeuvres.

With temperatures in the Eighties the canoe and sailing boat capsize drills were practised with an unusual degree of enthusiasm as the chilly water was a welcome way of cooling off.

Colonel Dennis Hickey, the Cheshire ACF commandant, told the visitors the aim of the camp is to help young people gain a greater sense of citizenship, teamwork, self-discipline and leader-ship.

Cllr Lewis showed she is still a dab hand with the bat when she and the mayoral party accepted the challenge to play rounders against the younger cadets.

She also had the opportunity to talk to the cadets from Ellesmere Port and Neston who, she said, were full of enthusiasm.