A CHORLEY Liberal Democrat leader has had his Chinese puzzle solved after questioning a council trip to the Far East.

Council leader John Wilson and deputy chief executive Colin Campbell jetted out to China at the weekend to explore possible trade links.

But Ken Ball, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Chorley Borough Council, claimed he and others had been kept in the dark about the week-long trip.

And he wrote to chief executive Jeff Davies, whom he also thought had gone, but is in fact on holiday in Poland, demanding answers.

Carmel Bourne, the council's director of administration, revealed the trip was a follow up to a visit to Chorley by a delegation of seven top officials from Lanzhou City.

She said: "It is paid for by European funding to explore the establishment of trade links."

Mr Ball said: "If the money is not coming out of Chorley borough I'm happy with that."

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