LINDSAY Hoyle MP set off on a parliamentary visit to the Falkland Islands last month eager to learn more about the country.

Mr Hoyle, along with colleagues Ben Chapman MP and Paul Keetch MP, set off from RAF Brize Norton on Thursday February 25 and finally touched down, 17 hours later, at Mount Pleasant Airport the next day.

Mr Hoyle said: "My first impression of the islands was that they were slightly warmer than the UK, with it being summer, and there was a strong wind due to the exposure of the islands."

With a population of just 2,400 and geographically the size of Wales, Mr Hoyle added: "It struck me how sparse and quiet it all seemed.

"Most of the islanders live in Stanley, a settlement on the east side of the island. Everything outside of Stanley is known as Camp and it is difficult and treacherous terrain throughout."

The official visit began with a meeting with the Governor and several councillors and heads of departments where they explained their culture, history and geography of the Falklands.

The islands have many connections with Chorley - which was one of the reasons Mr Hoyle visited there.

Clifford Kenyon, Labour MP for Chorley in the 1960s, was among the first MPs to visit the area. Also, the runway on the Falklands was constructed by a Chorley company - AMEC Civil Engineering.

Even some of the bombs there have Lancashire connections as they were filled at the Royal Ordnance site in Chorley.

On the second day of the visit, the MPs were flown to San Carlos to see the cemetery and Cenotaph to pay their respects (pictured) to those who fought in the conflict in 1982.

Mr Hoyle said: "It was a very moving experience. We laid a wreath there to pay our respects to the people killed in the war."

Next, the group moved to Pebble Island where they climbed to see the monument that overlooks the ocean where HMS Coventry went down.

Mr Hoyle then visited the Minister of Agriculture to learn about the economy of the islands and discuss the state of farming in the Falklands.

He said: "Some farmers have managed to diversify and have branched into tourism. The Falklands are becoming more and more popular as a holiday destination, mainly for people interested in the rich wildlife it has to offer such as the penguins and wild geese."

Last year, 26,000 people went ashore as day visitors to the islands as cruise ships frequently dock on their travels.

Mr Hoyle said: "On the way back, the highlight had to be when we stopped at the Ascension Islands for re-fuelling and watched the turtles come ashore and lay their eggs.

"This was an amazing experience to see and rounded off what has to be described as a varied, interesting and informative parliamentary visit."

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