BOLTON Wanderers' fundraising clash at Bury has been cancelled -- because the police costs were considered too high.

The friendly was scheduled to take place this Saturday but the plan has now been abandoned.

Bury chairman Terry Robinson -- who had organised the match as part of the cash-strapped Shakers ongoing battle to survive -- told the BEN he was desperately disappointed by the costs to police the game.

Police classed the fixture as category C, the highest risk of crowd trouble, and also decided to invoke the eight-day rule, which allows the police to double the costs if they are notified of a match less than eight days before it takes place.

"It seems that every time we come up with an initiative to raise money we get kicked in the teeth," revealed Mr Robinson.

"I was totally surprised by the attitude of the police. A friendly match between Bury and Bolton, two clubs who have a good relationship, doesn't seem to me to warrant the highest risk of crowd violence.

"The total cost of staging the match would have been about £20,000 and at that price it just wasn't worth having the match."

The police split football matches into three categories.

Low risk category A matches cost £2,500, category B £5,000 and category C £7,500.

The police also doubled the price because of the late notice.

Neither team now has a fixture this weekend. Sam Allardyce and his Shakers counterpart Andy Preece were both said to be disappointed by the cancellation of the game as both managers hoped to use the friendly to try new ideas and look at different players.

For Bury, a friendly against the Premiership league leaders could have raised a lot of money for the club.

A similar contest against Manchester United earlier this month swelled the Gigg Lane coffers by £60,000.

Bury will now have to come up with other ideas to keep the club afloat.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police was not available to comment.