A top American futurologist is to hold a conference in Brighouse to encourage Yorkshire executives to look forward to 2025.

Dr Sheila Ronis is a highly respected member of her field and has helped organisations ranging from the US Defense Department to car manufacturer Ford plan for the future.

The even is to be held at the Kirkdale Conference Centre in Brighouse on May 4. It has been organised to help the North of England Transformation Network and is entitled Creating a vision for the North of England, working and learning together in 2025.

Dr Ronis specialises in persuading her audiences to "think unthinkable thoughts in their approach to planning for the future".

The conference has been organised by Yorkshire energy trailblazer Alan Winlow, who has perfected methods to obtain methane from landfill sites, in effect producing energy from rubbish.

Mr Winlow said: "We have to take a much longer view if we are to preserve and promote Yorkshire's prosperity throughout the 21st century.

"Planning for as far away as 2085 has to start now with today's businessmen envisaging the shape of things to come and preparing people and places for the approach of those times."

Dr Ronis believes education is the main factor in preserving prosperity and the use of the internet will allow millions of people to gain degrees through their computers.

Mr Winlow said: "She makes people think, which is why the Transformation Network, Net 2, is bringing her to Brighouse in a 'think tank' workshop for Yorkshire executives from the public and private sectors to get to grips with the things we have to do to prepare the region for the future."