Club Marconi director, Andrea Carnuccio, returned this week from Italy after a surprise meeting with the Pope organised by pilgrims who stayed at the club.

``We had 2000 pilgrims arrive at Club Marconi from Italy for World Youth Day they'd heard about how big we were and they didn't have anywhere to stay,'' MrCarnuccio said.

``So we called an emergency meeting of the board of directors and decided straight away that they could stay here.''

After the pilgrims returned home, group leader Dr Marcello Bedeschi invited Mr Carnuccio to visit Italy so they could return the hospitality.

It wasn't until he arrived that Mr Carnuccio was presented with his ticket to meet the Pope on September 6.

He spent ten minutes telling Pope Benedict XVI about the work of Club Marconi.

``He was very impressed with the book and thanked us for hosting all the pilgrims, it was a great honour to be thanked in person by the Pope,'' Mr Carnuccio said.

``I was very emotional meeting him, but the experience really put me up in the sky.

``I lost my wife to cancer last year, and I'd been really lost in life, but this experience has put me back on track and heading in the right direction.''

Club Marconi also presented Dr Bedeschi with a plaque to commemorate their partnership.