A SPORTING delegation from New Zealand is set to make a flying visit to Bolton today.

The party, which includes Grant Stone, New Zealand's badminton manager, will check out the Commonwealth Games facilities in the town following a morning in Manchester's athletes village.

New Zealand has been adopted by Bolton's event organisers, who will work on developing a partnership over the next few months.

It is hoped the town's people will learn about New Zealand in the run up to the Games which start on July 25.

Bolton will host four events in the Commonwealth Games; the Badminton competition will take place at the Bolton Arena, and three cycling events are being held at Rivington.

The other delegates due to land at Manchester Airport on Monday are Mike Dyble, New Zealand attach; Helen Gribi, Commonwealth Games relations in Oceania; Jacqui Finn, villages representative, and Jack Stalker, assistant competition manager for badminton.

A spokesman said: "Overseas links are not new to Bolton. You only have to wander around the town and take a glance at the splendid Victorian buildings made possible by trade at the time, and the treasures in the museum brought home by entrepreneurs, to see the great tradition of overseas connections."