ELECTION fever is gripping Bolton.

Young people across Bolton are casting their vote for this year's Youth MPs.

Polls opened yesterday and students and schoolchildren have until Thursday, April 14 to vote for who they want to represent them on a local and national level.

This year six candidates are standing for the UK Youth Parliament,which is run by young people for young people.

Once elected a Youth MP will find out the concerns, interests and needs of other young people in Bolton and then discuss these on a local, regional and national level.

Youth MPs meet councillors, MPs and other key decision makers to take forward issues of local importance.

They will also attend regional meetings and meet with the UK Youth Parliament once a year.

Cabinet member for culture, youth and sport, Cllr John Byrne, said: “Bolton’s Youth MP elections are a great way of introducing young people to local democracy and giving them the opportunity to have a say on local issues. Youth MPs also play an important role in making sure that young people are fairly represented on issues such as transport, education and leisure, and get to meet key decision makers as part of their term of office. I’d encourage the borough’s young people to vote for their favourite Youth MP and make their voice heard.”

Standing as a "MP" this year are Jaya Patel, aged 16, from Rivington and Blackrod High School, Simone Hart, aged 15, from Westhoughton High School, Charli Fairbrother, aged 14, from Westhoughton High School, Elle Round , aged 14, from Westhoughton High School, Matthew Kyle, aged 14 from Bolton School, Jonathan Wright, aged 16, from Thornleigh Salesian College and Natalie Armstrong, aged 16, from Canon Slade Sixth Form.

To find out more about what they will do for the youth of Bolton and more about the youth elections visit www.bolton.gov.uk/website/pages/YouthMPs.aspx