NEW figures show that once again Bolton museum has bucked the national trend by attracting a record number of visitors.

Last year 14 percent more people went to shows and exhibitions at the aquarium, art gallery and museums than the previous year.

Elsewhere in the country visitors are staying away from such attractions and most museums are fighting to just maintain numbers at a stable level.

But Bolton attracted nearly 30,000 extra visitors than in 1998/1999, bringing the grand total of 140,479 through their doors.

Most of the extra visitors went to the aquarium which increased visitor numbers by 18,000. But the museum and art gallery also attracted an extra 10,000 people.

Smithills Hall underwent major building work but still increased visitor numbers by nearly 2000 and only Hall'i'th Wood suffered from the decline seen elsewhere in the country by losing more than 200 visitors last year.

Museum chiefs attribute some the increase to longer opening hours but also believe the wide variety of exhibitions put on in recent years is helping to bring more people in.

New monitoring shows that nearly three quarters are repeat visits so people are so impressed that they are tending to come back.

Cllr Robert Evans said: "Bolton is doing very well when you look at these figures in the context of a national decline.

"Customer feedback shows that 49 percent of these visitors are from outside the town so one can only assume that it is part of Bolton's attraction and helping the economy of the town centre as a whole."