THEY have never been together in the same room -- fuelling the rumours. But, on Wednesday, the suggestion is finally quashed.

Bolton's former Mayor, Campbell Benjamin, and master of the TV newscasters Sir Trevor McDonald OBE are NOT the same person!

For the first time, the two will meet in Manchester when the DePaul Trust launches its Safestop project to help young homeless people.

And the occasion will disprove a gentle bit of banter that has been doing the rounds for many years -- that the two men are so alike they could be the same person.

"People have been saying that I look like him ever since he was first on TV," said the Bolton honorary alderman. "It's become quite a joke."

He often tells the story of one group of local primary school youngsters who had been on a visit to the Mayor's Parlour when he was the town's top citizen.

The children were asked the next day about their visit to the Town Hall and asked who they had met. One little boy raised his hand and told the teacher: "It was that Trevor McDonald off the telly, Miss!"

Now, because Campbell Benjamin has been heavily involved with the Catholic Church in general and the St Vincent De Paul charity in particular, he has been invited to the official regional project launch to meet his hero.

"I'm really looking forward to seeing him," he said. "I think it's the background and the glasses which have prompted the similarity.

"But I wouldn't mind his salary!" he added.

And, of course, there are plenty of Boltonians who have known Campbell Benjamin and his civic work over the past decades who would insist that, really, the TV personality resembles HIM. FACT FILE TREVOR McDONALD

Age: 62.

Born: Trinidad, West Indies.

Career: Worked in radio and TV in the West Indies before joining the BBC World and Caribbean Services in London. Joined ITV in 1971, worked as a reporter and sports correspondent before becoming Diplomatic Correspondent and Diplomatic Editor. Worked for Channel 4 News for seven years. Became anchorman for News At Ten in 1989.

Honours: Order of the British Empire.

Status: national icon with own Spitting Image puppet, nicknamed "Trevor McDoughnut" by comedian Lenny Henry.

Image: hard-working professional with sense of humour. CAMPBELL BENJAMIN

Age: "turned 80".

Born: Antigua, West Indies.

Career: Came to Britain to help war effort and worked in munitions and aircraft factories. After the war, worked for Burtons clothing company and settled in Bolton. Now retired. Became a local councillor for Breightmet and served for 18 years on Bolton Council.

Honours: Made honorary alderman.

Status: local icon because of enduring commitment to community

Image: hard-working professional with sense of humour.