BURY is refusing to see its Millennium dream sink without trace.

Despite the news that the project to link up with America has failed to attract the expected funding, local supporters of the "Sailing into the New Millennium" project plan to carry on.

The exciting idea had stirred interest in the White House and among the Royal Family.

Initially, the plan had been to take a replica 18th century sailing ship, with a crew of young people from communities on both sides of the Atlantic, from Bury across the Atlantic to Woodbury in Gloucester County, New Jersey.

It was there in 1682, at the grand old age of 50, that Henry Wood of Tottington, near Bury, founded a new community after being released from Lancaster Gaol where he had been imprisoned for his religious beliefs.

The Quaker helped to establish the settlement near the banks of the Delaware River. It was called Woodbury and, as the new Millennium approaches, is now a thriving community.

Bury's project is to form a partnership with that community next year.

The voyage of Henry Wood is to be retraced, and there are also expected to be sporting and cultural exchanges between the young people of Bury and their counterparts in America.

The journey is also a chance for Bury schoolchildren to become involved with tracking the sailing ship, as well as using the voyage and the elements surrounding it as part of the curriculum.

Cllr Derek Boden, Bury council leader and chairman of the Millennium steering committee, said: "We were extremely shocked when we discovered our scheme was not being considered for Millennium funding.

"We had been led to believe that not only was our project one of the best initiatives in the North-west, but in the whole country.

"The decision not to support us does not mean that we are going to sit back and see such a fantastic opportunity disappear. The project was initially put to us by local man Melvin Magnall and is very much his brainchild.

"He is adamant that the two communities will come together for the Millennium and, although we cannot offer any major financial support, the council is prepared to do what it can."

Already thousands of pounds has been promised towards the trip, and there have been expressions of interest from both sides of the Atlantic.

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