NOBEL Prize winning scientist Sir Harold Kroto should be made a Freeman of Bolton, a fellow chemistry expert believes.

As reported in last night's BEN, the former Bolton School pupil has been awarded the prestigious Nobel Prize for his revolutionary scientific discoveries.

Now Bolton councillor Brian Iddon - a Doctor of Chemistry and famous for his touring science shows - believes Sir Harold should be honoured alongside Nat Lofthouse - the town's only Freeman.

Sir Harold, son of a toymaker, grew up in Westhoughton and was a pupil at Wolfenden Street Junior School, Bolton before going to Bolton School in 1947.

The 57-year-old chemistry professor at Sussex University has received international acclaim for discovering carbons called fullerenes, a new atomic arrangement vastly stronger than steel which is set to shake-up technology in the next century and open up a wealth of potential uses in civil engineering, building and the creation of a super-computer of the future.

Jubilant staff at Bolton School were today celebrating the news that one of their ex-pupils has gained such a top honour. Dr David Rogers, science lecturer at Bolton School and a former pupil of Sir Harold at Sussex University, said: "It is a great honour to the school and to all the pupils whom he taught."

Cllr Iddon, a chemistry lecturer at Salford University, met the prize-winner recently. He said today: " I predicted that this would happen two years ago. I believe Sir Harold should be made a Freeman of the town."

Cllr Cliff Morris, chairman of Bolton's Civic Affairs Committee, said: "Although it is extremely pleasing that someone with a Bolton connection has won such an honour, we do receive a lot of requests to make people a Freeman.

"It is very difficult to choose because many people achieve a lot of things in many ways. We will be considering the request. But it is very early days yet."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.