BOLTON is pulling ahead in the race for the best Boxing Day fancy-dress extravaganza.

Richard Greenwood is trying to get thousands of people, wearing wacky costumes, into the town centre on Friday, December 26.

It has been a tradition in Wigan for years, but Mr Greenwood, who iss a pub consultant for The Swan, The Flying Flute and the Kiko club, all in Bradshawgate, decided Bolton could do it better.

Mr Greenwood, aged 33, has signed up 30 town-centre pubs, bars and clubs. They have agreed to support his plans and offer discounts to people in fancy dress.

Now hundreds of people have signed up to groups on the social network website Facebook about his plans.

By Thursday, 973 people had signed up to “Make Bolton Fancy Dress On Boxing Day!!”, compared to only 777 who joined the “Do not let Bolton Steal Wigan’s Traditional Fancy Dress Boxing Day” group.

And some people who have joined Wigan’s group have said the tradition in Wigan has become so crowded and expensive they are going to try Bolton this year. One group member wrote: “Cool, I might go Bolton instead this year then.”

Mr Greenwood, of Raikes Road, Darcy Lever, said he was delighted with the response to his plans and that Bolton was set to beat Wigan.

Mr Greenwood, who likes fancy dress so much he had a fancy-dress wedding, has also arranged for people in fancy dress to collect money on the night for the Bolton Destitute Animal Centre on the night.

For more information about Mr Greenwood’s plans, go to www.boltonboxingday.info