A NEW spirit of enthusiasm and co-operation is being forged between Okehampton Chamber of Trade and the organisers of the annual Ten Tors expedition.

Ian Bailey, chairman of the chamber, said the new approach follows a recent meeting with Major Mike Pether, secretary of the Ten Tors expedition.

It follows a sticky period between the two parties last summer, when Mr Bailey reacted angrily to Major Pether's statement that the community lacked involvement with the event.

Last night (Wednesday), Mr Bailey reported the results of his meeting to Chamber members.

He said: 'We are starting afresh.

'We have to realise that Ten Tors is promoting Okehampton nationally.

'It's always on the national news and we as a town must keep it there and use it to our positive advantage.'

Mr Bailey suggested a pro-active approach to the event would be to the advantage of traders, service providers and the town as a whole.

He said in the three months leading up to the event, between May 11 and 13, thousands of youngsters would be in the area practising.

'There is going to be an opportunity to promote Okehampton, through a leaflet they will put out with every acceptance letter to the successful Ten Tors applicant.'

He said the leaflet would advertise accommodation, services and eating places in and around the town which could be used by parents and trainers in conjunction with the event.

'We hope that a lot of the kids who come here and enjoy themselves on the moor will want to come back again.

'We are also going to have a promotional tent at the camp on the Sunday of the event itself.'

Major Pether said he was 'delighted' that the Ten Tors organisers and the Chamber were working together.

'We are hoping to have a big stand at the camp over the weekend, promoting the town, the local producers, B&Bs and the benefits of the West Country etc., getting the message across 'Don't just come for Ten Tors, come at other times.'

Major Pether suggested the town crier could be there, plus local and visiting dignitaries.

'We could turn it into something a big more glitzy,' he said. It was also 'most likely' that the town would be represented on the expedition itself this year, with teams from Okehampton College and the local RAF Air Training Corps.

Cllr Christine Marsh, mayor of Okehampton, said: 'I am very pleased bridges are mended and that we are working closer together.

'It all goes to help sell the town which at the moment is on the up and up. We have to sell it, it's not going to sell itself.'

Cllr Marsh said Okehampton has to look to the future — and an event like Ten Tors would prove an invaluable advertising opportunity on which the town should capitalise.