BOLTON'S footballing first hotel has opened its doors to the public and thrown down a culinary challenge budding masterchefs.

The £12 million Whites Hotel complex built within the Bolton Wanderers' Reebok Stadium opened for business yesterday.

The 125-room Whites Hotel was originally expected to open in August but bad weather hampered the construction work, forcing the opening to be postponed until this week.

De Vere's spokesman Tracey Hargreaves said that while the hotel was now accepting guests there would be an official opening ceremony attended by the mayors of Bolton and Bury next month.

But now the hotel is calling on catering students in the area to show them the recipe for success.

The hotel has teamed up with Wigan and Leigh College to launch the De Vere Whites Student Catering Competition and it is open to students between 17 and 19 at the college completing a City and Guilds catering and hospitality, or food preparation and cookery course.

Students are asked to devise an original meat dish suitable for serving on the menu of the 60-seater a la carte restaurant, Reflections.

The top three entries will be shortlisted to participate in a final cook-off to be held at Wigan and Leigh College in November.

De Vere Whites food service manager Colin Lindsay said: "Wigan and Leigh College has a very good reputation in the area for offering excellent catering facilities and services for its students.

"By working closely with the college we will be able to give students access to a wide range of roles available within the food and beverage area of a hotel so that some students may consider this career option in the future."