WHEN Elaine Tin Yi Ling arrived in Bolton she was meeting up with friends - although she had only ever spoken to them before through a computer keyboard.

The 11-year-old is just one of the children, from a school in Hong Kong, who has been swapping information with youngsters all over Bolton as part of an exciting web-based project.

She was delighted to get the chance to come to England and has been staying with the Lay family in Heaton, who have relatives in Hong Kong.

Joshua Lay, aged nine, is a pupil at Markland Hill Primary School - one of the schools involved in the Community Knowledge programme.

He and his family have been able to converse with Elaine in her native tongue and she has enjoyed her stay in the town. "I have really enjoyed coming here to Bolton," she said.

The Knowledge Community - the children know it as KC - has linked six Bolton primary schools: Markland Hill; St Gregory's RC; St Michael's C of E; St William of York RC; Bishop Bridgeman CE and Gilnow.

The youngsters have been chatting with each other - over the internet - and exchanging information about various subjects including health and education which has helped them build up their knowledge and improve their internet skills.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the scheme has been the opportunity to link up with children in Hong Kong, which has proved fascinating for them.

Asim Nawah, aged 10, from Bishop Bridgeman School, said he had discovered many interesting facts about schools in Hong Kong. "A lot of the primary schools have swimming pools," he said.

Head teacher at Chow Clansmen Association School in Hong Kong, Ting Chi Wai, came to visit the Bolton schools with his pupil, Elaine and Elaine's class teacher Abby Shing.

He said: "We don't have a swimming pool yet at our school but we are hoping to build one."

Although Joshua Lay's year group is not taking part in the KC scheme - it is restricted to the older children - he went along to a special event at the Holiday Inn in Bolton Town Centre to help Elaine.

The event was organised to get all the Bolton children involved in KC together. They were able to swap information and find out more about projects other schools are involved in.

There were around 240 children at the event and not a yawn in sight. All the children were busy exploring different topics and looking things up on the internet in small groups.

Markland Hill headteacher Mrs Janet Coysh said she had been delighted by the children's response. "They have all been very well behaved and have enjoyed taking part," she said.

Graham Burrows, head of Bishop Bridgeman, visited Hong Kong last year with Mrs Coysh and they were able to learn more about education in Hong Kong first hand.

This time their counterparts from Hong Kong got the chance to do the same here in Bolton.

Mr Ting Chi Wai said he was "really enjoying" his visit to Bolton and he was looking forward to "eating fish and chips" while in England.

Antony Evitts, aged 11, from Markland Hill School, said he enjoyed the KC work. "It is good fun discussing different things with other children, especially the children in Hong Kong. We even get to find out more about other schools in Bolton," he said.