A SENIOR Government official has been on a fact-finding trip to the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.

Authority chairman Carl Les said the visit of David Coleman, Defra's head of the countryside (recreation and landscape), was an opportunity for the organisation to highlight some of its achievements.

"It is really important for him to see what we have achieved to date, what we are hoping to achieve in the future and what pressures we are under," said Mr Les.

"There are so many innovative projects and programmes being carried out within the park and we are keen to raise awareness of these at a national level."