THE Malvern Hills will be welcoming special visitors from the Far East later this month when a group of Chinese students call in on the area.

A total of 21 students from Wuhan City in central China are currently on a two month public administration training programme at the University of Birming-ham learning about everything from local government and health and social care to economic development.

As part of their studies the students, who are aged between 30 and 50 years old, will be coming to Malvern on Thursday, August 24 to look at Malvern Hills District Council's approach to performance management, recycling, street management and environmental issues. The visit has been organised by Professor John Raine, the university's director of graduate studies in its school of public policy - who is also a Malvern Hills District councillor.

Mr Raine is also a member of the board of Malvern Hills Conservators, who manage the slopes, and the group of students will spend the afternoon walking the hills to learn about land management and the work of the organisation. Mr Raine said: "I think it's really good that there is this East-West exchange of ideas. Hundreds of China's administrators are now coming to Europe and America to look at how we're working.

"We're not saying we've got all the answers but it's good that they're receptive to looking at what others are doing. It's great that the Malvern Hills provides a good example."