WATCH out for the purple post if you want to vote in the all-out Bolton Council and European Parliamentary elections next month.

That is the message from Bolton Council's election team which will be sending out some 200,000 voting papers to people across the borough.

Ballot papers will start to drop through elector's doors from Tuesday .

The white envelopes will carry a distinctive purple flash in one corner so that people can easily distinguish their voting papers from other mail.

The Royal Mail has promised that everyone will have their ballot papers by May 29.

Although voting day is June 10 people can post back their votes to Bolton Town Hall at any time, but are urged to allow a few days to ensure that the envelope gets there in time.

Ballot papers can be dropped off until 10pm on the night.

Points are to be set up at the town hall and at offices in Horwich, Westhoughton and Farnworth where people will be able to deliver their ballot papers and also ask for advice about the voting system.

Returning Officer Bernard Knight urged people to ensure that they had their voting papers properly witnessed before they returned their vote.

He said: "Papers which are not properly signed and witnessed will, where time permits, be returned for filling in correctly.

"If they again come back unsigned or without a witness they will be declared void and will not be counted."

Anyone who not received their ballot papers by June 1 is asked to call (01204) 331100 or 331107.