BOLTON and Bury Chamber's Business Link is helping to push forward the local explosion in online business.

A recent Chamber survey of local businesses showed that 78pc were on-line and that 55pc had a website, with 21pc using the Internet for electronic trade.

As an accredited UK Online for Business Centre, Business Link is helping local firms integrate e-commerce into their business strategies.

UK Online for Business is the new name for the Government's former Information Society Initiative (ISI) -- geared to helping small and medium-sized companies thrive in the emerging information-based economy.

With its rebranding, the Government has also announced an additional £15 million to strengthen its national advisory network and the Chamber hopes to access this funding to expand its support to local business.

Says Sue Warburton, Information Technology Adviser for Business Link: "While our research shows that large numbers of companies are getting Online, there is still a lot more work to do in encouraging others to follow suit and helping those already using new technologies to make much more of ICT and e-commerce.

"The Business Link team can provide support at all levels -- from computerising accounts through to designing a web page, or using IT in complex manufacturing processes."

Local businesses also have access to Business Links high-tech Link Conference Centre -- a new resource funded by the European Social Fund and Bury Single Regeneration Budget -- which includes state-of-the-art I.T training suites and the latest video conferencing equipment.

The Business Link UK Online for Business team can be contacted on 0161 762 3300.