WHAT a glitzy and glamorous night! Bolton's own "Oscars" event put the town's amateur stage stars in the spotlight and recognised the high quality of productions and actors.

The Bolton Evening News Amateur Stage Awards and Bolton Amateur Theatre Societies' Dinner was a sell-out success. So many people wanted to attend that the venue was changed from the Platinum Suite at the Reebok Stadium, to the larger Lion of Vienna Suite.

Guests were put in party mood as they arrived by being served with a glass of bucks fizz as a string quartet from Bolton Music Service played.

This was the 10th anniversary dinner of the Bolton Evening News Awards and to celebrate this there were 11 awards - more than had previously been given.

The evening began with a welcome speech from Bolton Evening News editor-in-chief Steve Hughes.

Paul Cohen, chairman, replied on behalf of the Bolton Amateur Theatre Societies.

During dinner, classical guitarist Robin Hill kept the audience entertained.

Then the excitement grew as the Bolton Evening News critic of amateur theatre, Nigel McFarlane, announced the winners and nominees as their pictures were flashed on to a giant screen.

Nigel said how difficult it had been judging the winners and nominees.

He said he was not prepared for the extraordinary breadth of vision of the societies involved.

He added that he had consistently seen quality of the highest order.

There were never going to be enough awards to recognise the full scale of the quality he had seen, he said.

Cheers greeted all the winners who received their awards from Mr Hughes, Brandon Pilling, managing director of Acdoco - which sponsored the evening - and Dee Felton, representing co-sponsor Pontins.

Graham Wilkes was the toastmaster for the evening.