IN spite of the thousands who sang their hearts out in Bolton's Victoria Square on Sunday for a special Songs of Praise programme, it is debateable whether the Commonwealth Games will attract this kind of support.

What is indisputable is that, with so many visitors and nations Greater Manchester-bound, there is a unique opportunity for towns like Bolton to show its best side to the world.

Here, we will be staging the badminton events at the futuristic Bolton Arena, and the cycling events on the roads of Horwich and over the challenging, rugged terrain of Rivington. Hundreds of local people will be involved -- either as volunteers or marshals, looking after teams and individuals in hotels and guest houses, or simply providing services for the influx of visitors that such a high-profile event means. Along with those taking part in any way and those watching the spectacle will be scores of media people trying to translate these events for TV, radio and the internet in dozens of countries around the globe.

Bolton as a town has the rare opportunity of showing other countries how great it is, simply by looking at its very best and giving all these visitors a memorable time.

The Mayor, Cllr John Walsh, had it exactly right when he responded to praise from an American travel writer for the current pristine state of the town. "When outsiders see Bolton at its best," he said, "it really does make you feel proud."

And that is what it is all about. Pride in Bolton.

It is about ensuring that the town centre, and Horwich and Rivington especially, look their best, and that every local business with a frontage to display makes it look spot-on.

It is about everyone treating all the visitors who come to our town -- and, importantly, who will be spending money here -- in a polite, friendly and helpful way.

So that they enjoy their stay here, and they go home and tell everyone what a great place Bolton is to visit.

They say that you only get one chance to make a good first impression, and this is ours.

Blow it, and local tourism revenue faces the kind of body blow from which it will be hard to recover.

Get it right, and the time the Commonwealth Games came to the North-west will go down in the history of this global event as something special.

Then, we can all reap the real benefits for a long time to come.