BOLTON has been rocked by a second nightclub shooting in 24 hours.

Police were called to The Temple on St Georges Street, just after 11.30pm last night after several shots were fired outside the popular nightclub.

A nightclub bouncer was gunned down by an unknown assailant who detectives are now searching for.

The worker, who has not been named, was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital -- his injuries are not believed to be life threatening.

The drama unfolded as MTV cameras were at the club filming a special night with presenter and Radio One DJ Trevor Nelson.

This morning streets around The Temple were cordoned off including St Georges Street and Kay Street.

Detective Inspector Mo Shafiq of Bolton Police confirmed they were now searching for the gunman but their inquiries were at their earliest stages. "It was a busy night and there are still a lot of people we need to speak to. At this stage we know little more than that."

The Temple shooting comes less than 24 hours after two men were injured when shots were fired at the Atlantis nightclub at The Valley entertainment complex.

Detectives say it is too early to say whether the two incidents are connected.

But Mr Shafiq revealed that they had found bags containing white powder in the boot of a silver BMW parked outside Atlantis.

"We cannot say what this substance is but we have sent it off for examination," he said.

Police have now issued details of a man they want to trace following Friday morning's double shooting.

One of the gunshot victims, a 27-year-old Bolton man, is recovering following five hours of surgery at the Royal Bolton Hospital after being blasted in the stomach at least five times.

A 19-year-old Bolton teenager suffered hand wounds when up to three bullets struck him.

Police officers have still not been able to speak to the two casualties about the horror shooting outside the Atlantis nightclub at 2.30am on Friday.

But Detective Superintendent Mick Gorrill, head of Bolton CID and who is heading the hunt for the gunman, revealed there was no apparent motive for the attack.

He added: "This was an extremely serious incident which must have been very frightening for those people who saw it. There could quite easily have been a murder."

Detectives spent Friday at the hospital in case the two victims were well enough to talk to officers.

Hundreds of people were leaving the 2,500 capacity Atlantis when the gunman struck, with one witness claiming the shots had been fired indiscriminately.

Bouncers gave first aid treatment to the two men as armed police and paramedics headed to the scene which was cordoned off and searched by scene of crimes officers.

Last night it was business as usual at Atlantis but few people entered the club early in the night and there was no police presence at the scene.

Club manager Mark Law declined to let our reporter into the club to speak to customers and said there was little he could add to what had already been said.

"We know as much about this as anyone else and we are all waiting for the police to release more details," he said. "Like everyone, we at Atlantis want to see the criminals who did this brought to justice and we have fully co-operated with the police.

"Our thoughts are with the two people who were injured in this attack and their families but as far as the club is concerned our involvement in this incident is over."

Mr Law said he had not put on extra security staff as a result of Thursday night's shooting.

"It's not a club matter and I don't think that would help," he said. "We could have 200 doorstaff on but if someone turns up with a gun there would be little they could do."

Police chiefs have issued details of a white man, in his late 20s, between 6ft and 6ft 4ins tall and with dark hair who they want to speak to in connection with the incident. He was wearing a grey fleece type coat and plain black trousers.

Another man, who police arrested near the nightclub in the early hours of Friday, was questioned by detectives at Astley Bridge police station yesterday.

Anyone who was at the nightclub and witnessed the shootings is asked to contact Astley Bridge CID on 0161 856 5740 or 5751.