A NEW landmark will rise into the skies next year.

A £180,000 sculpture is part of Bolton Council's largest public art project and will be sited at the Middlebrook roundabout - the gateway to Bolton.

The theme of the work will be the Spirit of Sport. After a huge response from artists all over the country wanting to design the sculpture, the final five have been short-listed.

They have been helped with the inspiration for their work by children from the borough who have created their own Spirit of Sport art which is on show at the Eagle Mall at Bolton Institute until August 18.

The Spirit of Sport project is part of a £10 million economic development programme for the Middlebrook area.

While most of the money will go to the private sector to create new jobs, £1.8million is being used to improve the environment with new signs and landscaping, of which the Spirit of Sport project is a part.

Michael Taylor, the project leader and urban design officer with the council, said: "The piece of art will symbolise the main gateway in to the borough and will tie in with the sport theme at the Reebok and the Bolton Arena, as well as the surrounding moorland landscape."

As to what the final piece of art will look like, it will be up to a panel of judges to scrutinise the work of the five short-listed artists in the autumn.

The five shortlisted artists or design firms are detailed here, along with an example of their previous work.

Mr Taylor said: "We want the public to let us know what they think of the project and what ideas they would like the artists to take into consideration."

The final sculpture would be in place by December 2005. Anyone who wants to comment on the Spirit of Sport sculpture can email Michael Taylor at Drop a line...michael.taylor@bolton.gov.uk.

The short-listed artists are:

Peter Fink

PETER Fink was born in London but grew up in Czechoslovakia. His works include a light installation at Canary Wharf Tower, the Mersey Wave Gateway in Liverpool, above, and Light Wands at Birmingham's Bullring.

He said of the Bolton project: "The finished work needs to have empathy with the area and I think Bolton is a great setting."

Broadbent

BASED in Liverpool the company consists of Stephen Broadbent and Melanie Jackson right. Their work includes The River of Life for Warrington council featuring a bronze water fountain. Melanie said: "We were impressed with the work of the children of the town."

Michael Trainor

BASED in Manchester, Michael Trainor has been involved in more than 50 works of art. His famous work includes the huge Mirrorball on Blackpool's South shore, above,

He said of the Bolton project: "I will be looking for something dynamic - something with a 'wow' factor."

Brimstone

ALTRINCHAM based, this company is made up of three artists. Their work includes The Runner commissioned for the Manchester Commonwealth Games, above, Colin Spofforth, one of the artists, said: "We will be looking to include all the emotions of sport - happiness, sadness and elation."

Eaton Waygood Associates

EATON Waygood is based in Stockport and made up of Jem Waygood, left, and Terry Eaton. The pair have carried out lots of commissions for councils all over the country.

They said about the Bolton project: " What we like about the Spirit of Sport brief is the great opportunity and a great challenge."