REGIONAL government chiefs from France have seen environmental best practice in action near Stourport as part of a factfinding mission.

The delegation of councillors and planners, from the Rhone Alpes area, visited the Bishops Wood Centre, as part of a trip hosted by Forum for the Future, a leading UK sustainable development charity.

Among practices they saw at Bishops Wood were eco-building techniques, such as a reed-bed water recycling system, turf-roofing and "breathing" walls made of recycled newspaper.

Other destinations on the French party's itinerary included a Gloucestershire infants' school and the National Assembly of Wales.

The tour was promped by the regional government's sustainable development drive, launched in 2004.

Didier Jouve, vice-president of the Rhone Alpes regional council, said: "Working for a vision of a safer and better future can bring real satisfaction and meaning to staff, to their contacts and to the politicians on the council themselves."

Paul Madden, chief executive of Forum for the Future, said: "To tackle our environmental challenges, we need to share learning.

"Forum works with leading organisations across the country. We are delighted to be organising this visit to help share best practice and also to learn some things ourselves, too."