CONSERVATIVE party leader William Hague is due to visit Bolton next Thursday.

The Tory top man will travel north to look around the recently-expanded factory owned by paper tissue maker Charles Turner and Co.

Mr Hague will unveil a plaque to commemorate the firm's new state-of-the-art tissue-making machine.

But, according to an aide, Mr Hague is unlikely to break off from his business trip to take a tour around the town. That could be seen as bad news for the town's growing number of pubs. For Mr Hague recently sparked controversy when he announced he liked a pint of bitter -- and regularly drank 10 of them a day when he was a young lad.

Instead he will opt to keep a clear head when he inspects the firm's new machinery, billed as the most significant investment in the company's history.

The business, which dates back to 1894, recently created 20 new jobs in the area during a £9 million expansion programme.

It now employs 170 people from its site at Springside Mills of Belmont Road, Bolton.

Nigel Samuel, the company's chairman and chief executive, said: "We invited him because he is a prominent politician. I am looking forward to showing him around."

It appeared politics would be on the agenda too. Mr Samuel added: "I am concerned that the manufacturing base is being eroded by some of the current legislation."