in the US.

They battled through enormous crowds, suffered from heat and thirst, and lined up for hours to use outside toilets.

A group of eight from the Island travelled to Denver for the World Youth Day service held in a park by Pope John Paul II.

Group leader Mrs. Lucy Willitts said the trip was worth it for its spiritual uplift.

But bad organisation led to frightening ordeals, she said.

"They only expected 250,000 people and they got 750,000,'' she said.

"They called in the National Guard and they said it was like Desert Storm.

"About 20,000 people went down with dehydration and three people died. It was absolutely incredible.

"They didn't have enough toilets for the 750,000, so you were standing in line for two hours.

"It was one of the hottest days in Denver and people were just dropping in front of me. There was no shelter.

"The organisation was awful. I'm sure the Pope will be burdened when he hears the results.

"They had us out there in the intense heat. The ceremony lasted four hours, which was far too long.'' Mrs. Willitts and Miss Mary DeSilva, one of five young people in the group, were even interviewed by the Denver Post with their complaints.

The main fault lay with city organisers, said Mrs. Willitts.

She also suffered badly from altitude sickness while at a retreat in the Rocky Mountains before the event.

"But it was worth it,'' she said. "To be there and to see the youth, it had a message for the world.

"The Pope wasn't a rock star, but they responded to him by crying, praying and shouting with excitement.'' An especially moving moment was a plea by Bosnians for support, she said.

Ms DeSilva, 21, said she enjoyed the mountain retreat with Father Ken Roberts, the celebrity author of "From Playboy to Priest'', who recently visited Bermuda.

The trip strengthened her belief, she added. "It was nice to see other youths my age believing what I believe.''