A GROUP of six unemployed people with learning difficulties have enrolled on a course at Taurus Crafts in the hope they'll get into paid work.

The National Star College, at Cheltenham, and Taurus Crafts have teamed up to get the students through a 'steps to work programme' with the objective of getting them into work.

Participants will be running the Taurus Crafts Christmas Tree Shop.

The tourist attraction helped a local man last year into work. Ollie Packer undertook work experience and managed to find a part-time job after.

Elizabeth Ball at Taurus Crafts said: "It is a practical lesson in learning to sell and how to run a pop-up shop.

"The interns have come up with the idea of a passport which plays on the fact that most of the trees, particularly Norway spruce, are grown in Gloucestershire."

Intern Jim Margolis, added: "All the Norway Spruce trees are grown locally, so the passport will show that they were grown by Lydney Park Estate or Over Farm Market in Gloucester."

The course runs until next summer.