A TRIP of a lifetime beckons for a young Brownie leader chosen to represent the South West in the Far East.

Harriet Holland, 16, a member of 1st Trowbridge Brownies is one of 12 members of the Girl Guide movement chosen from across the UK to travel to Japan this summer.

She said: "I am so excited. When I opened the letter and found out I was going I was actually screaming. "I'm really looking forward to Japan because I think the culture is so different."

Harriet, who is studying for her GCSEs at The Clarendon College, Trowbridge, and her fellow girl guiders will be the only group from Europe to take part in the trip, which involves about 250 girls, the rest from Asia. Harriet, who lives in West Ashton with her parents and sister Rebecca, 20, and brother William, 18, has been involved with the Brownies since 1994.

To take part in the trip Harriet first has to raise £1,350 to pay for it. She has already planned to send out fundraising quizzes to Girl Guiders across the UK and will be taking part in a swimathon later on this month.

Anyone who can help out with sponsorship can contact Harriet on (01380) 870911.