THE COUNCIL chief who wants to change Bolton's name has admitted the plan is "dead in the water".

Deputy leader of Bolton Council, Cllr Guy Harkin, confessed the decision of the council's Labour group to reject his moves to call the borough Bolton-le-Moors had been the final nail in the coffin.

He suggested the name change to help to rid Bolton of the cloth cap, industrial image it has elsewhere in the country.

Hundreds of letters poured into the Bolton Evening News , the vast majority from readers outraged by the move.

Bolton, or Bolton-le-Moors: The Great Debate

But Cllr Harkin remained defiant to the end, claiming: "I am what I am and criticism will not shut me up if I think something is in the interests of the borough."

The move -- which led to a public fall-out between Cllr Harkin and council leader Cllr Bob Howarth -- was overwhelmingly rejected by the deputy leader's Labour group colleagues

Cllr Harkin said: "We are not going to take the plan any further.

"The only thing that has disappointed me is how narrow minded some people were in their criticism of the proposal.

"If people do not raise ideas, then you do not have progress and I am a great believer in throwing pebbles into the pond."

Labour councillor Nick Peel, of the Tonge ward, commended his colleague for proving that freedom of speech is "alive and well in Bolton".

He said: "I know Guy well and I know him to be affable, intelligent and utterly committed to the borough.

"Nevertheless, the Labour group on the council, including myself, do not support his views.

"I have read all the letters on this subject with great interest and have come to the conclusion that that the knock-on effect from this is that a new awareness and appreciation of our town has been awoken in Bolton folk."