AN EAST Yorkshire shop which makes rocking horses has been chosen to inspire an international audience to learn new skills.

The WorldSkills London 2011 competition takes place over four days next month at the ExCel centre, and will see more than 1,000 young people from across the world battling it out in 46 different activities.

The Rocking Horse Shop, based in Fangfoss, near Pocklington, will be making the world’s largest hand-carved exhibit of the equine toys, called Bigger Bertie, for the event.

He will stand more than four metres high and eight metres long. Visitors to the competition, which is expected to attract more than 150,000 people, will have the chance to carve parts of the horse, as well as regular-size rocking horses.

Jane Cook, the firm’s managing director, said: “The Rocking Horse Shop will demonstrate to the world that Yorkshire excels in skills training.

“We are thrilled to be given the opportunity to take part in this wonderful event and it will be great to see people having the chance to try their hands at carving.”

The shop’s role means it will also be contributing to the WorldSkills London 2011 Have A Go campaign, which is aimed at setting up a million skills-based activities across the UK.

Anyone wanting to attend the competition can register for complimentary tickets at worldskillslondon2011.com/visit