An alarming 16 new cases have been diagnosed in the area over the last 12 months -- double the figure reported in the previous year.

Health chiefs from the Wigan and Bolton Health Authority -- who have revealed there are now 74 people in the Bolton area with the infection -- admit they are surprised by the significant increase in cases.

Peter Clark, who is the borough's HIV co-ordinator, hopes to re-educate people about the dangers of unprotected sex and eradicate the misunderstanding that AIDS and the HIV infection only affects gay men, prostitutes and drug users.

He fears an entire generation has missed out on the Government and media blitz of publicity and health warnings of the mid-1980s and many teenagers have no idea of the implications of the illness and the importance of protected sex.

He said: "The figures for the last year were quite surprising and it is odd that Wigan and Bolton should have the highest number of heterosexually HIV cases in Greater Manchester.

"People have become blas and that's frightening.

"Kids aged 16 and 17 are sexually active, but have not had an education in AIDS awareness.

"The big AIDS explosion forecast in the 80s has happened, but it has happened quietly.

"It is frightening because I also carry out research at John Moores University where we asked young people about their sexual behaviour and their main concern was pregnancy.

"Nobody mentioned AIDS and condom use was low."

He feels HIV and AIDS needs to be in the limelight once more, but without the "grim reaper" scare tactics of the 1980s adverts.

"Scare tactics don't work.

"We need an informed public debate and get the message through to everyone that the HIV infection affects everyone regardless of their sexual orientation, " he said.

World AIDS Day is on Friday and red ribbons, which are the international sign of AIDS awareness, will be available throughout Bolton.