HORTICULTURAL students are showing off their green-fingered skills at a world exhibition.

Paul Lilgert, from Thirsk, is one of a team of Yorkshire trainees taking part in the WorldSkills Competition held at Excel in London this week (October 5 until October 8).

The WorldSkills competition is designed to showcase vocational skills for young people in the world and is held every two years. It last took place in Canada and this year has attracted almost 1,000 participants from more than 50 countries.

Six students from Askham Bryan College’s Harrogate Centre are travelling down to London for the event, after being specially selected to take part in demonstrations. They are all studying for a Level 2 Diploma in Horticulture and will be giving horticultural advice to the 150,000 visitors expected to the prestigious event.

Course Tutor Nigel Harrison said: "This is a great opportunity for the students to demonstrate their skill and encourage visitors to the event to ‘have a go’ at gardening.

“The competition takes place at different locations all over the world and is unlikely to be back in the UK for many years - we are very honoured to be invited to take part on home soil."

The event finishes on Saturday, October 8.