TWO top Lancashire players have been named in the England squad for the Commonwealth Games to compete at the Bolton Arena.

Manchester's Colin Haughton - from Denton but coached by Bolton-based Brian Roper -- and Sara Sankey from Southport are among 10 members of the 14-strong squad now announced.

They join players including the new English national men's singles champion Mark Constable from Warwickshire, and Sussex player Jo Goode, who was a triple gold medallist at the last Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.

A blend of youth and experience gives the home team a chance of the medals especially in the team event, believes Finn Traerup-Hansen, Performance Director of the Badminton Association of England.

But, he added that England would face strong competition from other nations, especially from the Malaysians.

The team events get badminton off the mark on July 28, with the individual events -- men's and women's singles, doubles and mixed -- beginning the following day.

The final and victory ceremony will be on August 4.

Demand has already been high for the events in Bolton, with the finals already sold out.

The rest of the squad are: Anthony Clark (Notts), Gail Emms (Herts), Tracey Hallam (Staffs), Julia Mann (Warks), Ella Miles (Cheshire) and Nathan Robertson (Notts).