BOLTON Wanderers' dismal season was finally laid to rest in a Horwich pub yesterday.

Regulars of the Queens Head held a wake to mark the end of the Burnden Park Premiership dream.

Wanderers memorabilia was placed in a coffin as the wake progressed unsteadily from one pub to another around Horwich town centre.

Mourners draped shirts, scarfs, spent season tickets and other mementoes of their brief brush with top flight soccer in a wooden coffin, build by Queens Head landlord John Walsh.

After the sombre procession during which die-hard fans drowned their sorrows, the coffin was laid to rest in the Queens Head cellar.

But optimistic supporters are hopeful that remains of the 1995/96 season will triumphantly be exhumed a year from now when the Wanderers return to their rightful position among the football elite. Lifelong fan Stuart Lowe was one of the first to lay his colours in the coffin. He said: "I follow Wanderers home and away and I'm convinced they'll be back next year."

Landlord John, trying hard to conceal his delight at the promotion of his own beloved Preston North End, said that his customers were very passionate about their football and got the idea for the wake from a pub at Bamber Bridge. Mr Walsh, who has been landlord at the Queens Head for 18, allows the Wanderers supporters the use of his mini bus to travel to away games and although he had been to some of the matches, he doubts whether he will ever change his allegiance. "But I still would like to see them do well," he added.

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